Some upcoming 2024 events aim to build community, others are just for fun

Dec. 29—The upcoming year is ushering in lots of local events, economic activities and community upgrades.

Sharpsville is commemorating its past 150 years as the borough celebrates its sesquicentennial. A June 22 parade is the big event, borough Manager Ken Robertson said.

"But we're going to have many activities between now and then," Robertson said.

A number of them will be fundraisers to host other activities.

"But we're emphasizing the fun' in these fundraisers," he added. Sharpsville Area Historical Society, Sharpsville Volunteer Fire Department and Sharpsville Area School District are among the organizations pitching in.

Grove City

Grove City police will don body cameras along with separate cameras added in their cruisers, Vance Oakes, Grove City borough manager said.

"And they're also getting digital fingerprinting," Oakes said. "Right now they're still using ink and paper."

It's not cheap. The camera system costs $75,000 with another $35,000 for fingerprint scanning. Liabilities seen among police departments nationwide is a driving factor for the upgrades.

"This improves the safety not only for the public but also for our officers," Oakes said.

Greenville

Greenville will find it hard to top its 2023 achievement — emerging from the state's Act 47 distressed community status in November. But a major deal is in the works for Greenville to buy a large chunk of land owned by Trinity Industries, Town Manager Jason Urey said.

Trinity Industries built rail cars at the site until the plant closed in 2006. It since has undergone an environmental cleanup of hazardous waste.

Greenville is waiting for the state Department of Environmental Protection to approve that the final cleanup has been completed by Trinity.

"We expect that to happen in 2024," Urey said. "Once DEP has signed off we'll work on acquiring that property."

An upgrade of the town's zoning rules also is in the work, he said.

Development

Hermitage will continue creating a strategy to redevelop the Shenango Valley Mall.

Penn State University and Butler County Community College are expected to reveal results of a study into the possibility of moving BC3's LindenPointe Hermitage campus into Penn State's Shenango campus in Sharon.

Also on the education front in Sharon, Hope Center for Arts and Technology will launch a new program in February, Lorie Hines, HopeCAT's executive director, said.

"We're starting an emergency medical technician program in cooperation with McGonigle Ambulance Service, where they will train people in that course," Hines said.

Also, late next year the school expects to begin "9.9" trade training. The name stems from only 9.9 percent of those in the trade industry are women. Men will be welcome but the focus will be for women, Hines said.

Entertainment

And for entertainment Sharon will boost its Slainte Sharon St. Patrick's Day Parade set for 5 p.m. Saturday, March 16, the day before St. Patrick's Day. The inaugural parade last year generated 97 entries, said Sherris Moreira, the city's director of downtown development.

"The parade will end at Quaker Steak & Lube with an Irish market, blessing of the pets, live music and more," Moreira said.

Eaglefest is coming up quickly — 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 13, at Chestnut Run along Shenango Lake. The event is devoted to learning about bald eagles, which roams the lake. The event is hosted by the Shenango River Watchers and the Army Corps of Engineers.

The Mercer County Tourist Promotion Agency also is putting together events when the solar eclipse arrives on April 8, Peggy Mazyck, the agency's director said.

Economic development

and housing

Penn-Northwest Development Corp. will host the second annual Mercer County Economic Summit, set for 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28 at Grove City College.

Local representatives from such areas as manufacturing, education and outdoor recreation will be speak, Rod Wilt, Penn-Northwest's executive director said.

"And we expect DCED (Department of Community and Economic Development) Secretary Rick Siger will be our keynote speaker," Wilt said.

An economic challenge that's expected to continue in the area is a severe lack of housing stock.

"It's among our top priorities to improve next year," Wilt said.

For businesses to fill vacant job openings, there must be housing for employees, he noted.

Next year also will see the continuing reassessment of properties in Mercer County.

Corey Dame, a local Realtor with Keller Williams, said house sales were dampened with higher interest rates. But rates are continuing to ease, he added.

"But right now people are still buying," Dame said. "This is the best year I've ever had."

He sees the most action in homes going for under $200,000. But newly-constructed homes are also prized, because there are few of them to go around.

"I'm seeing an uptick this year in people wanting an extra bedroom or extra living space," Dame said.