New Community Conservation Partners

In collaboration with six regional communities and local PennDOT District offices, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has established six new community gateway gardens. Our Community Conservation program welcomes the following communities to our extensive list of neighborhoods in 20 counties that are helping preserve green space conservation and enhance their landscape.

Altoona, Blair County
In Altoona, at the base of a newly reconstructed bridge connecting the two sides of the city, we worked with the mayor and the city planning department to establish a vibrant green gateway to the city’s downtown area.

Johnstown, Cambria County
Johnstown’s mayor, along with the Johnstown Area Water Authority, the Kiwanis and the Johnstown Garden Club, have come together to establish a second WPC community gateway garden along the ramp leading to the Johnstown Expressway. The Kiwanis will become the volunteer garden steward for this site. FNB Corporation is also helping take care of the site.

Huntingdon, Huntingdon County
A group including the mayor, the county planning commission, the borough manager, Borough Council and the Friends of Portstown Park have worked to establish a WPC gateway garden at the new entrance to Portstown Park, a recently refurbished, multipurpose riverside greenspace in Huntingdon.

Hollidaysburg, Blair County
A second WPC community gateway garden was added in Hollidaysburg under the auspices of the borough manager’s office. Working closely with WPC, borough staff has facilitated the enhancement of a linear riverside parklet at the entrance to their downtown area, and the addition of a flower garden at an adjacent greenspace. The nearby bridge has been tied to the project with special hanging baskets on the railings.
Hollidaysburg has a long tradition of engaging young people referred from juvenile court, as well as school students and local residents, in volunteering at the garden.

Waynesburg, Greene County
Waynesburg’s Beautiful and Prosperous Committee, their Main Streets program and the Borough of Waynesburg collaborated to bring a new perennial community gateway garden to the town’s Hope Park.

Washington, Washington County
Mayor’s Park in Washington has been enhanced by a new community gateway garden through the personal involvement of long-time resident Reed Day and City Councilwoman Virginia Ullom and support from the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County.

Take a virtual tour of our community gardens in 20 western Pennsylvania counties.

Go to the next article, Planning for the Future.