A committee of Leet residents have worked to find an appropriate location to honor township residents who have died while serving their country.

The last honor roll was on the side of a brick wall of the former municipal building.

Committee members said it was not a very prominent place, and the memorial itself got in such bad shape that it was removed years ago and never replaced.

“It was erected so poorly,” said Donna Adipietro, township commissioner and war memorial committee member.

Leet’s new memorial site will be near the heart of Ambridge Avenue Park, a popular recreation site near the current township office.

It was selected in part due because of an improvement project at the park that’s funded through a $300,000 state grant. No township funding match is required.

The project includes upgrades to the basketball and tennis courts, dek hockey and pickleball, new playground equipment and sidewalk improvements.

Committee members said it also includes establishing a war memorial site within the park. However, actual granite construction of the memorial was not included.

“We have a few parks and they all offer different amenities, but this park hasn’t been touched in quite a long time,” Adipietro said. “An upgrade to the grounds would be a connecting process from where the new township building is to the old township building that’s now used by public works, and beyond that where we have the gazebo and tennis courts.”

Adipietro said there will be separate fundraising efforts for memorial construction.

The site would eventually have seating and lighting. The memorial is still being designed but it is expected to cost more than $50,000.

“What we want is to make things right and have a place for folks in our community to sit for a while and reflect and have respectful thoughts,” Adipietro said.

Executive director Patrick Conners said Donora-based El Grande Industries was the lowest of two bidders for the larger park improvement project. Its bid was about $267,000.

Work is expected to be completed by mid-September.

“It shows a thriving community,” Adipietro said of the park project.

Committee member Mike Teegarden lives in the Quaker Heights section of the township. He got involved due to a strong sense of patriotism.

His father, Earl Teegarden, served in the Army during Vietnam. His grandfather, Clyde Teegarden, served in the Army during World War I.

Teegarden said Ambridge Avenue Park is an excellent location for a memorial, and having upgraded amenities will only enhance the experience of people who visit.

“Our goal is not to have some grandiose memorial,” Teegarden said. “We want something reflective of the community. We’re going to keep it simple and reflective of the community it represents and giving (the fallen) the respect that they are due.

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