2009 Mayor's Community Service Award
by: Joyce K. Somers, Mayor
I am pleased to award the 2009 Mayor’s Community Service Award to the Westmoreland Conservancy. Founded in 1991 by volunteers in Murrysville, the Westmoreland Conservancy is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501c-3 Corporation dedicated to acquiring rural and rustic lands for the preservation and conservation of land, wildlife and habitat. The Conservancy has been instrumental in preserving approximately 300 acres of open space for our enjoyment and the enjoyment of future generations.
Through gifts, grants, and in cooperation with the Municipality, their first acquisition was the Kellman property, which is now apart of the Municipal Parks system. Since that first venture in 1991, the Conservancy has added an additional 250 acres of conservation lands by acquiring the King, Walter, Tomer, Flinn, McGinnis, Potter’s Corner and Caywood Reserves. These reserves are owned and maintained by the Conservancy, and more than 100 acres of this land was acquired through direct gifts!
All seven of these reserves contain minimally invasive trails and are open to the public for the enjoyment of nature and passive recreational uses such as hiking, photography, or geocaching.
The Conservancy is currently negotiating a right-of-way with Dominion Gas in order to connect a trail from the Walter Reserve on Wiestertown Road, through Murrysville Community Park, the Caywood Reserve, the Shagbark development, the King Reserve, exiting on Crowfoot Road. They envision that trail to eventually extend all the way to Townsend Park, effectively traversing Murrysville from west to east.
For their dedication to the natural preservation of lands and open space for us and future generations, I am happy to present the 2009 Mayor’s Community Service Award to the many hard-working volunteers who make up the organization known as the Westmoreland Conservancy. I also wish you success in your future endeavors!
 Murrysville Mayor Joyce K. Somers presenting the award the Conservancy president Shelly Tichy |
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