Land Trust Needs $51K for North Park Deal

The Allegheny Land Trust says it still needs $51,000 by the end of the month to purchase a 73-acre parcel adjacent to North Park. The Trust has been working with the landowner for months on a $504,000 deal. Trust Executive Director Roy Kraynyk says the parcel includes a popular half-mile hiking and biking trail, and a creek that flows into North Park Lake. He says protecting that tributary is important to the health of North Park Lake and it will serve as a buffer for North Park. Kraynyk says they have a commitment for $15,000 that is being processed and verbal agreements for last mile funds but the Trust is still in need of tens of thousands of dollars to make this a reality. He says the land is part of 100-acre parcel and the red tape associated with breaking up the land is delaying the process a bit and that could give the Trust a few days reprieve. He says the owner of the land has also been very friendly and could extend the deadline but he does not want to count on either possibility. Kraynyk says if the land is not protected it will probably be developed in the not so distant future. $243,200 for the project is coming from the Allegheny County Parks Department as part of their Growing Greener funding and foundations have committed more than $145,000.