Uniontown, PA - Officials broke ground Tuesday on the first phase of redevelopment at the Mill Run Park in Springfield Township. County-owned and community run, Mill Run Park is a popular spot for locals and visitors alike, due to its close proximity to campgrounds and other Laurel Highlands mountain region tourist attractions. Springfield Township leases the park, which is maintained by the Mill Run Parks Authority, and is home to a number of local sports leagues.
Last year, the park received a $70,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which was leveraged by $40,000 in county funds for the project’s first two parts.
Fayette County Chief Community Development Specialist Art Cappella said the 10-acre park’s parking lots and pathways will receive necessary upgrades to make them Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, and an interloop walking trail will be constructed around the facility.
“We’re finishing the design and permitting phase now and planning for additional improvements at the park for the playground and ballfields,” Cappella said. “The park has been untouched for about 40 years, so it’s in need of an upgrade. It looked the same when I played ball there as a kid. The ultimate goal is to enhance tourism for everyone coming to the area, because the park really is a multi-use place for all seasons.”
Located just off state Route 381, Mill Run Park currently boasts baseball fields, basketball courts,concession stands, pavilions, a playground and seasonal ice skating. Engineering for future phases of park improvements began last fall, and Cappella said the project will go out to bid in the coming months.
In addition to Cappella, Fayette County Commissioners Dave Lohr, Vince Vicites and Scott Dunn; Springfield Township Supervisors; federal and state legislators; K2 Engineering; the Mill Run Parks Authority; DCNR; the Fayette Chamber of Commerce; Springfield Township Volunteer Hose Company and more attended Tuesday’s ceremonial turning of the earth marking the project’s next steps.
Commissioner Vicites said continued enhancement of Fayette County’s parks is “fantastic” and “a priority.”
“This county-owned park is very important to the people of the Mill Run community and beyond, and we’re very glad to be able to give it the upgrades it needs,” Vicites said. “Millions of people visit Fayette County’s beautiful mountain communities and use our world-renowned trail network each year, and Mill Run Park is a key part of those tourism and recreational opportunities. The walking trail and public access improvements are much-needed enhancements that will attract more visitors to our area for many years to come.”
Commissioner Dunn said the steady stream of grant funding the county has received in recent years has been “paramount” and a “game changer” for Fayette’s continued development. “It’s always a great day in Fayette County when funding allows us to cross another project off our wish list. We have a strong momentum going, and we plan to continue that through 2024 and beyond,” Dunn said. “The first phase of this project is just the beginning for the Mill Run community, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the many great things we have planned for not only these ballfields, but our countywide tourism industry. Congratulations to the Mill Run Parks Authority and Springfield Township Supervisors. None of this would be possible without your dedication to your community and its recreational tourism.”
Commissioner Chairman Lohr said Fayette County’s parks are a “great, untapped treasure,” each with a “distinct character and beautiful vistas to enhance outdoor events and activities.”
“Our parks have long been in need of upgrades and improvements, which our county staff have been chipping away at, but a concerted effort is needed, and that’s what we’re doing in Mill Run,” Lohr said. “A friend recently mentioned that, when he purchased his home, he wasn’t buying a ‘house,’ he was buying a ‘location.’ More and more, when people choose where they want to reside, they are looking at more than the amenities of the house; they’re looking at the amenities in the area. People want to be in close proximity to things they want to do; places where they can have adventures; places where they want to make memories with family and friends. It’s that quality of place and quality of life that people are looking for; and we have it all – right here in Fayette County.”
To learn more about the Mill Run Park Project, contact Art Cappella at acappella@fayettepa.org.
To learn more about Fayette County, visit www.fayettecountypa.org.
