Unity votes to resume recreational partnership with Latrobe, Greater Latrobe School District

Unity is rejoining a regional recreation organization after several years of operating programs separately.

The township supervisors on Thursday passed a resolution to form a joint recreation commission with participants in the existing Latrobe-GLSD Parks and Recreation. Those other participants that will welcome Unity back into the fold include Greater Latrobe School District, Latrobe and Youngstown.

The move brings to an end Unity’s relationship with the Greensburg YMCA, which for the past several years has overseen township recreation.

“We did enjoy our relationship with the YMCA, but we just felt that we needed a little bit more,” said Supervisor Mike O’Barto.

He has cited soccer fields as a resource that Latrobe-GLSD has available but the township lacks. With Unity’s return to the larger group, he said, “I believe that you will see additional soccer leagues in Unity Township,” perhaps playing on a field near the township municipal building.

The recreational merger is “going to actually create a lot more opportunities for our residents as well as the other residents in the Greater Latrobe area,” said O’Barto.

Unity paid the YMCA $56,700 in the most recent year of their partnership. According to township Solicitor Gary Falatovich, Unity will pay an annual cost share of $100,000 under a new 10-year agreement with the other Latrobe area recreational partners. The school district will pay $74,000 and the city will contribute $38,000.

With Unity’s return, the Latrobe-GLSD board will expand from six members to nine, with each major entity in the partnership appointing three representatives to the panel. Youngstown, the smallest partner, will participate as part of the school district and will not contribute financially or appoint a board member, Falatovich said.

Unity left the regional recreation organization at the end of 2014, after an initial 10-year partnership. With its return, township residents no longer will pay a higher fee for Latrobe-GLSD programs.

For Unity residents, that will result in an average savings of $10 per program, according to Latrobe-GLSD Executive Director Craig Shevchik.

The parks and recreation board will vote on the renewed merger at its May 20 meeting, while the city council will vote May 24 and the school board will act on the following day. A formal signing ceremony is expected to take place June 1 at Greater Latrobe Senior High.

“I think it’s the right thing for the community,” Latrobe Mayor Rosie Wolford said of the renewed merger, speaking at a council meeting this week. “You can do a lot more together than you can do individually.”

Playground grant sought

In a separate cooperative effort with the school district, the township is applying for a grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources that would cover 85% of a proposed $178,000 apparatus update at the Mt. View Elementary School playground. The school’s Parent Teacher Organization would cover the remaining cost, and the township would be able to use the playground when school isn’t in session.

The supervisors also approved payments of about $78,300 to contractor Derry Construction for paving and extension of a lakeside walking trail and creation of an access path and handicapped parking space next to the township building. Those costs will be reimbursed through a community development block grant, administered by Westmoreland County.