Bethel Park to break ground on new $3.5 million splash park and Park Avenue playground Monday

Kim Weightman • April 6, 2023

On Monday (April 10) at 12 p.m., Bethel Park Municipality will be holding a Groundbreaking for a new splash park and playground at Park Avenue (next to the Bethel Park Community Center).  The playground will feature “The Serenity Spot,” playground equipment for children with autism or other sensory processing differences.


“This project has been in the making for about four years and was part of our strategic plan to upgrade all of our recreational facilities. We want each of our parks to be a bit different having its own featured attraction,” said Municipal Council President Tim Moury. “This particular park will not only be an amazing amenity for our residents but will also draw people to Bethel Park.”


The splash park, a $3.5 million project, will feature two areas, one for younger children with a river component to float toys and a large area for all ages with spray toys and other unique features.


“We really wanted to ensure that children of all ages would be able to enjoy the splash park,” said Moury. “The entire facility is also ADA accessible and will inclusive for all ages and abilities.”


Two grants from the state and county as well as various community fundraisers helped cover the project cost. A snack stand and unisex, air-conditioned restrooms will also be part of the project.


The approximate $175,000 new playground, matching the aesthetic of the splash park, will feature a sandbox, swing, pirate ship play structure, a dolphin and sea horse rocker, park benches, and a picnic table.


A highlight of the playground area will be “The Serenity Spot” designed for children on the autism spectrum. This play space offers children a comfortable place to step away and express themselves freely. It features a fort-like environment with games, a spinning seat, a rubber kick pad, and a variety of calming activities. Developmental benefits include sensory, social/emotional, cognitive, and motor skills.


Local and state officials along with Municipal staff members will break ground at the event. Due to construction, guests are asked to park in the upper lot of the Bethel Park Community Center (5151 Park Ave.) and walk over to the Groundbreaking (next to the Center).

By Kim Weightman April 29, 2025
The Bethel Park Farmers’ Market will kick off its 19th year on Tuesday, May 6 from 3-7 p.m. and run Tuesdays through Oct. 14 for an extended season! The Market is located in South Park directly off Corrigan Drive near the Ice-Skating Rink and welcomed over 2,000 shoppers each week last year. This season, guests can look forward to an improved layout to allow for food trucks to be in a separate section along with periodic kids’ activities, entertainment (there are still a few openings; contact Sarah if interested at skomatsu@bethelparkpa.gov ) , and more such as recipes posted on the Farmers’ Market website inspired by ingredients from each week’s vendors! St. Clair Hospital will be at the Market regularly (weekly July through September) offering complimentary health screenings, providing information, and sponsoring the “Food Assistance Match” (FAM) program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to fresh, nutritious food from local farmers and small businesses to individuals and families most in need. “Without St. Clair Health, we wouldn’t be able to offer FAM,” said Assistant Recreation Director Lindsey Sibert. “It’s such a wonderful service enabling almost everyone to have access to fresh food.” FAM multiplies the buying power of food assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, and others enabling patrons using these programs to take home up to three times more locally-sourced food and goods. Sibert also acknowledged the Bethel Park Community Foundation for being an ongoing sponsor. “Their sponsorship enables us to purchase items such as tables, chairs, raincoats, tents, and more all leading to an extremely positive guest experience; we’re grateful for their support!” This year, the Market also has a new coordinator, Events Coordinator Sarah Komatsu . Komatsu will be managing the Bethel Park Farmers’ Market, ‘No Cook Tuesdays,’ and Indoor Markets while also providing support for various Municipal special events. With a focus on enhancing community engagement, she brings a decade of experience in event management and community engagement from her prior positions in both Arizona and California. “ I think we strike a really good balance and are one of the larger farmer’s markets in the area with a lot of unique products,” said Komatsu. “Our Market becomes a one stop shop for guests where they can come to fill their pantry or fridge for the week and to also pick up a prepared dinner.” This year, the Market will have 35 full-season, 12 half-season and six monthly rotating vendors . New vendors include Amazing Books and Records (a used book and records store), Chocolate Moonshine (chocolates, fudge and truffle bars), and Billy’s Country Smoke House (offering smoked meats, preserved meat sticks and homemade sausages). For complete details on all vendors, including full or half season and visiting vendors, please visit: http://www.bethelparkpa.gov/vendors. To be the first to know about all Market news, follow us on Facebook ( Bethel Park Farmers’ Market ) and visit our website where you can sign up to be a ‘fan’ to receive Farmers’ Market emails. For full details on the Bethel Park Farmers’ Market, visit www.bethelparkpa.gov – ‘Recreation’ – ‘Bethel Park Farmers’ Market.’ You can also call 412-851-2910 . For more information on FAM, visit FoodAssistanceMatch.org .
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Bethel Park Named Best Place to Move In Pennsylvania by ConsumerAffairs! Bethel Park has just earned the top spot as the "#1 Best Place to Move To In Pennsylvania," according to a recent report by ConsumerAffairs! The honor comes due to Bethel Park’s unique blend of affordability, safety and overall quality of life. Here’s what makes Bethel Park stand out: Best Overall Safety : Bethel Park was noted for having the second lowest violent crime and property crime rate in the state. Great Affordability : Recognized for having the lowest home-to-income ratio among large Pennsylvania cities. Well-Educated Population : With 97.2% of its residents having at least a high school diploma, Bethel Park ranks fifth in the state. Accessible Health Care : With 30.5 health care professionals per 1,000 residents, Bethel Park ranks fifth for health care accessibility. ConsumerAffairs described Bethel Park as a family-friendly suburban environment with numerous parks and recreation programs having easy access to downtown Pittsburgh via the Pittsburgh Regional Transit light rail line. Read the report here! 5 Best Pennsylvania Moving Companies (2025) | ConsumerAffairs®
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The Municipality of Bethel Park experienced a cyber incident yesterday evening when our website was compromised and unauthorized, inappropriate images were uploaded. Upon discovering the breach, we acted immediately in collaboration with our hosting company to remove the offensive content and restore the site to its original condition as quickly as possible. Following a thorough discussion with our hosting provider this morning, we were assured that the breach occurred on their end and not within the Municipality’s systems. The website hosting provider and the Bethel Park Municipality systems are not linked. We were also informed that similar incidents affected other client websites of the hosting company. The hosting company is actively investigating the root cause of this breach and has committed to providing us with a detailed report by early next week. They also stated that, at this time, there is no evidence of any user data being breached. Additionally, credit card information is stored on an entirely separate transactional system. The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office was contacted and is investigating further. The security of our online presence remains our top priority. We are working closely with the hosting company to implement additional measures and ensure that such incidents do not recur. We appreciate your understanding.
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