O’Hara Township is seeking a second round of grants in as many months to finance a trail stabilization project in O’Hara Community Park.

Township officials on March 8 approved applications for a $125,000 grant through the Commonwealth Finance Authority’s Statewide Local Share Assessment Program, and a $62,500 grant through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Township engineer Charles Steinert Jr. said grant notifications would be toward the end of the year. The DCNR grant requires a $62,500 match from O’Hara.

“The more money we get, the less money (we use) out of pocket,” Steinert said.

Steinert said the grants are very competitive, and O’Hara wants to use every avenue possible to lessen the pull from the general fund.

Funds would be used to help pay for an estimated $500,000 reconstruction of the trail, and foundation repair for a bridge that extends the trail from the main area of the park to a hillside by Rockingham Road.

The footbridge over Squaw Run, a tributary of the Allegheny River, has been closed for more than a year due to failing gabion baskets located along the edge of the stream. Gabion baskets are galvanized steel, double twisted, woven wire mesh filled with stone used for retaining walls, slope paving, stream bank protection and other purposes.

Council in February had approved seeking $106,200 in state Department of Community and Economic Development funds and $62,500 in state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources monies to help cover the costs for the replacement of gabion baskets.

The DCED grant comes with a 15% township match while the DCNR grant requires a 50% match.

Steinert said the bridge is in good shape, but baskets and area around it need to be stabilized. O’Hara has about $100,000 budgeted for those repairs.

Grant funding would be a big boost to fixing the trail itself, which sustained damage due to stormwater and natural erosion the past few years.

Old timber steps have become unsafe and need replaced, and trees have fallen onto parts of the trail.

“It’s in poor shape,” Steinert said. He estimated construction to take about six weeks.

A contractor has not been selected for the project yet.

Council president Robert John Smith said maintaining recreation amenities like the trail help improve the quality of life for residents and people from surrounding communities.

“We pride ourselves on our parks,” Smith said. “We think we have one of the best park systems around. You can tell that by the residents that come use them.”

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