Councilman Wants Clean Up at Ford City Playground

The Seventh Street Playground was a hot topic earlier this month at the Ford City Borough Public Meeting.

by David Croyle

Ford City Councilman Lou Vergari said residents are complaining about problems at the Seventh Avenue Playground.

“I have had some phone calls from some of the people that live along the Seventh Avenue Playground… the houses that used to be one through nine. They have asked me if the Borough can clean up that hillside. There are some trees that have overgrown onto the roof of their sheds. I was wondering if we can clean it up.”

Councilman Ray Klukan suggested the possibility of summer help crews working on that project.

“The trees inside the playground are leaning over. There are saplings that are growing along the three-foot ledge.” 

“At one time, we had Craig’s Tree Service trim those trees back in approximately 2001. So that is another consideration,” Councilman Ron Dillard said.

Ford City resident Katherine Wilcox discusses the Seventh Street Playground with Council members earlier this month.

Twelfth Street resident Katherine Wilcox described the situation.

“It used to be about nine years ago they had it cleaned off pretty good,” she said. “I always planted flowers and stuff and had it really nice, but I am getting too old to do that now. It is absolutely a mess. We have grape vines and berry bushes, poison ivy, ragweed… some of the worst stuff you have ever saw. It has destroyed one shanty… the roof is completely covered. We are all in our 80s and 90s and can’t do anything about it ourselves anymore.”

Council President John Lux asked for the borough maintenance supervisor to  check with Craig’s Tree Service and give an estimate. Klukan also suggested procuring weed killer and applying it as an immediate alternative.

 “Go ahead and buy weed killer because we have areas along the trail that also needs to be taken care of,” Dillard added.

“Mr. Mayor, is there any reason why that playground cannot be locked after sunset?” Vergari questioned. “When I talk to these people, they are telling me there is some stuff that is going on after dark that shouldn’t be going on.   The police used to open it at sunrise and close it at sunset.”

“We have had a lot of problems up there with vandalism and drugs,” Mayor Marc Mantini answered. “We have had tremendous problems up there.”

Wilcox praised the response of the police force for their response time when they have been called about problems at the playground.

Councilman Rob Mohney said that the Parks & Recreation committee was looking at installing motion detector lights in that area. “They are pricing it out right now,” he said.

Council agreed that the police officers can open the playground at 8AM and close it by 7PM.