Cheswick, Tarentum begin riverfront planning

Tarentum Council’s decision to eliminate boat docks caused a furor among residents last year, but, since then, many are excited about the prospect of new recreational opportunities, officials said.

“The people that I spoke to are interested in new sidewalks for safer walking, a fishing pier and a community boat dock for people to be able to come into Tarentum and support local businesses,” said Carrie Fox, a former council member who joined the borough’s riverfront development committee.

She is among five people named in August to the Phase One advisory board. Others are Jennifer Simmers, Adam Dickson and Councilwoman Maggie Smith, along with consultant Jim Pashek.

Waterfront planning in Tarentum and Cheswick is scheduled to begin in September, after the boroughs were jointly awarded a $50,000 state grant through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

Shawna Almes, Cheswick Council vice president, said the first public meeting, led by a borough steering committee, will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Rachel Carson Park in Cheswick.

She is excited to get started on plans that could include fishing and boating access at the borough’s popular recreation spot.

“We encourage and welcome everyone to come to collaborate and suggest ideas for our park,” Almes said. “This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved as we come together to plan the future.”

The grant funding comes from the state’s boating facility program. It will help the municipalities promote water-based activities and focus on accessibility and inclusion.

Public meetings are not yet scheduled in Tarentum, but dates will be established soon, borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said.

“The (advisory) group is in the process of determining how many meetings it should hold and when,” Boddorf said. “Once the group makes that determination, public announcements will be made.”

Officials in both communities hope to capitalize on prime pieces of real estate along the Allegheny River and connect people — residents and visitors — to the water.

In turn, they hope tourists will boost local economies by spending at restaurants, theaters, coffee shops and more.

Tarentum made the move late last year to eliminate the borough’s 24 boat docks, with the intention of opening the riverfront below Riverview Memorial Park to more people. For decades, slips were leased and shoreline property was full.

In Cheswick, the decommissioning of the nearby Cheswick Generating Station in neighboring Springdale gives borough officials the chance to offer river access to the masses, with potential for a boat launch, kayaks and walking trails.

Planning for both communities will fit into a larger design that includes links to the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, a 33-mile path through several Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

Fox said some people have expressed interest in a walkway bridge behind the pump house at the far edge of the park to connect the trail and keep people off-road as much as possible.

“The aesthetics would be beautiful,” she said.