TyronePA e-cafe - Tyrone Pennsylvania Community Forum

Raze the YMCA building and build it right there. Ample parking. Central location. Easily monitored by the Tyrone PD. And it gives the people in the tower something to watch from their balcony.

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The City of St. Marys used to have a nice skate park, but it was a fad. It lasted for a couple years until some of the people who pushed for it and built it left the area or became involved in other things. Then the park started to be a gathering place for the less-than-reputable crowd. Eventually, the ramps and such were vandalized and never repaired and the park became a pretty big hazard in a number of ways. I think the City just recently dismantled the park.

I remember from a couple years ago that the Boro of Ridgway used to have a really nice skate park, too. And I when I say nice, I'm talking like professional level. I don't know how it is doing now, however, as I have not seen it in a while.

I'm from St. Marys. It was on the news the other night a group is going to try to refurbish the park

Just thinking, but, why not down around the area where the old Bayer and Gillam (spelling) building is ?? Across the street from the Army ?? Of course, like everything else, tearing down then building again will cost money too.
Oooops, just thought of something... it gets flooded down there and it would probably be too small. Someone mentioned the "Big Yank" area in a post above. That would be a good area. Shea Field... is it being used for anything ?? That would be a perfect spot !!

Shea field is tied up legally right now and it is used for teener league baseball practice or some type of Jr league practice. The "Big Yank" building can be bought for $400K I am told. We are looking into the abandoned church across the street from sheets between the Methodist church and the Cable House. Just so everyone is aware we will be holding an

Open House March 15th at the Joshua House from 2-4 Pampered Chef, Italian Charm, Leo Sophia, Tastefully Simple, and Towne Craft will be some of the venders there to help raise funds for the skate/bike park.

Butterball wrote:Shea field is tied up legally right now and it is used for teener league baseball practice or some type of Jr league practice. The "Big Yank" building can be bought for $400K I am told. We are looking into the abandoned church across the street from sheets between the Methodist church and the Cable House. Just so everyone is aware we will be holding an

Open House March 15th at the Joshua House from 2-4 Pampered Chef, Italian Charm, Leo Sophia, Tastefully Simple, and Towne Craft will be some of the venders there to help raise funds for the skate/bike park.

Don't know what the "legalities" are.... if they can get them circumvented and/or settled, that whole area would be a great place for the kids to go.... maybe even include a refreshment stand. The field itself could still be maintained and used as a practice field.... in turn, the outside perimeter could be made into a skate board/bike park. There wouldn't be much "tearing down" to do.... just "fixin' up." It would be out of the beaten path and there would be less chances of noise disturbances. That area was once The Paper Mill Playground before it became Shea Field. It would so nice to see kids having fun there once again..... instead of watching another spot in our town become over grown with grass and weeds. P.S. Wouldn't that place across from Sheetz be too small ??

150thBucktailCo.I wrote:Raze the YMCA building and build it right there. Ample parking. Central location. Easily monitored by the Tyrone PD. And it gives the people in the tower something to watch from their balcony.

So, seriously Butterball... have you considered this idea? Work with G & R since he wants to do something for the kids with that former YMCA property. And since he's the demolition company, I would think that issues, such as costs, could be worked out.

Febuarary 20th is the next skate/bike park meeiting. It also looks like there will be a few more venders than originally stated at the open house on March 15th. Please stop by from 2-4 at the Joshua House to show your support.

150thBucktailCo.I wrote:

150thBucktailCo.I wrote:Raze the YMCA building and build it right there. Ample parking. Central location. Easily monitored by the Tyrone PD. And it gives the people in the tower something to watch from their balcony.

So, seriously Butterball... have you considered this idea? Work with G & R since he wants to do something for the kids with that former YMCA property. And since he's the demolition company, I would think that issues, such as costs, could be worked out.

Butterball, why no response to the above?? :huh:

Sorry about not responding. I don't have the information at this time. I was going to bring up what you said at the next meeting. G & R's name has come up in discussion if we got a place that needed some demo. My understanding is that G & R are looking for ways to restore the building not tear it down to put a skate park. I quess that we could approach them to put it in the building if they are going to repair the building.

What about the field, behind Big Yank, where Tyrone once had the carnivals ??

I believe that they hold pop warner practice there... You are talking about by Neptune right?

Butterball wrote:I believe that they hold pop warner practice there... You are talking about by Neptune right?

Yes, I believe we're in the right "ballfield." I think it borders 18th street and Lincoln Ave. extension.
I don't mean anything by this... so, please don't get me wrong... just comments and questions. Maybe I just don't get it, but..... there seems to be a lot of so-called "ballfields," "practice fields," in and around this town... which is fine,but, are they really being used everyday during the proper season?? Right now, I can think of Shea Field, a field out around the Rivit (maybe it's still considered the old Athletic Field), and now, the above "pop warner" practice field. Seems to me that one particular field (two at the most) could accomodate all. Then the other field(s) could be considered to have this bike/skate park built.
Does this bike/skate park have to be inside a building ?? It seems to me, to make this worthwhile, a large space is needed. These kids need the great outdoors and room to move. If you're going to spend the money to do this... and if you want the kids to go there and enjoy themselves... make it worth their while. I don't think being inside a old musty building, that's had a "quick-fix," will get it !!! There is no heating, no air conditioning, the place is falling apart at the seams, it hasn't been used in years... aside from many, many, other things...there isn't any public access for the handicap and if there were an emergency, such as a fire... right now, forget it!!! Spending a lot of money on a quick-fix in this building for anything is absurd. A quick-fix in a worn out building is a waste of money. This building is done... it has seen it's days and it most definitely has had some good ones.
Also, Bucktail has mentioned building a skate/bicycle park there... I think he means after the building is torn down.... anyway, either way... I don't think that will go over too well with the obvious noise that it will create in the downtown neighborhood.
Spend the money on something the kids will go to, enjoy themselves, freedom of open air, freedom of having fun, freedom to do their summersaults and cartwheeles without having to worry about noise complaints, etc.
These kids need a nice, top of the line, call in a contractor and designer, bike/skate park !!! If you're gonna' spend the money on something... make it good. You get what you pay for.

Indoors sounds more reasonable for Central, PA.... an outdoor skatepark would not be able to be used for 1/3 of the year. In terms of enough fields, I doubt there are enough. Shea Field is fairly unusable, and has the field by the Rivet been used in the last 20 years?

All options are open at this time. I agree that if something is going to be done it needs to be done right. When it is done right it will last a lot longer than if we got a couple volunteers to build something. Once again the biggest hold up is a location. After we obtain a location there are many grants we can apply for. We may need to start out building it smaller and add to it for a few years. There is a Blair county Parks and Rec grant that awards up to $5000 that is due Feb 15th. Since we do not have a location we can not apply for it. There is a company willing to give $5000 when we obtain a place a get the project started.

When my kids were younger they hung out at Kids Mountain in Altoona. It wasn't an indoor skate park but it did have a building which offered some food and inside picnic tables... They also sold skating equipment and boards.. Not having an indoor skate park didn't stop the kids from going there nor did rain! They spend alot of time indoors with the owners eating snacks and playing board games.
It would be great if the land that Big Yank was on could be used. There are a few places for kids to grab something to eat (East End, Mac's, Uni Mart, Bresslers and Sheetz)... Plus if they got muddy they could stop at the laundry mat and wash their clothes before going home! Besides that, its out off Main Street Tyrone but yet close to all the goings on in Tyrone.
Does anyone even use the old Big Yank building or is it just a place for squirrels and rats to live?