Here in Western Pennsylvania, we have a huge variety of municipalities with staff dedicated to enhancing quality of life for residents and making summer as fun as possible. Look no further than Dormont, which maintains “the largest outdoor pool in Pennsylvania,” a historic landmark that plays a central role in the summer lives of residents throughout our region.

Moreover, our municipalities boast beautiful community parks and trails, with communities like the Borough of Wilkinsburg maintaining seven community parks that include baseball fields, basketball courts, playground equipment, gazebos, and community gardens, and Etna Borough’s recent opening of the Etna Riverfront Trail and Park, a 10-year long project that transformed a brownfield industrial site into a vibrant green space connecting residents to the river. These investments into local communities provide incredible spaces for community togetherness and a wide range of activities throughout the summer.

However, these amenities are no small effort, requiring careful planning, budgeting, and precious staff time. So next time you find yourself diving into your community pool, take a moment to think of all the hardworking municipal employees involved in the development, maintenance, and administration of that facility.

Local Government Academy will be hard at work all summer long ensuring that our municipalities continue to have the right resources and leadership to continue to provide these services for years to come.

Want to join us? Contact [email protected] to learn more.

Joy