Visitors to State College Borough’s Central Parklet may have noticed a new addition this spring.  The Borough had a band shell constructed by Mid-State Awning Company to cover the brick and concrete stage area put in last fall.  The shell’s framework is made out of aluminum and the covering is a canvas-like material called Sunbrella.  The 26’ by 20’ canopy can be used in conjunction with band concerts or other events to protect the users from the elements.  The framework post slide into PVC sleeves surrounded by concrete and the roof trusses were put together is sections, allowing the entire framework and canopy to be removed if necessary.  A 16” high portable stage that fits entirely underneath the shell has also been purchased and is available for performers.  Electric service has been extended underneath the bike path and installed adjacent to the stage.  The Arts Fest and Downtown State College already have plans to use the area.

Public flowerbeds have been an important component of State College’s ambiance for over 20 years.  The locations of the beds, types of flowers and designs are always changing.  However, the planting and continued maintenance of the beds has always been the responsibility of the Tree Crew and the seasonal employees working with them.  This year as a budget saving measure, no seasonal employees were hired, jeopardizing the 2009 flowerbed program all together.  Even after the number of flowerbeds was reduced and labor saving perennials were added to the mix, the manpower just wasn’t available to plant and maintain them.   Tree Commission member, Cassandra Burke, realized this and offered to solicit volunteers to continue the program.  She was very successful.

The Borough purchased the nearly 5000 plants, Steve Shirey, Tree Foreman, designed the beds, and Cassandra and crew went to work planting them.  Some of the volunteers are neighborhood residents while others are members of the local garden club.  What they had in common is a love of plants and the desire to see the Borough’s beautification efforts continue and weather the budgetary storm. 

We are still looking for volunteers to help.  If you like the outdoors and are willing to “get down and dirty” to help beautify our community, please contact the arborist, Alan Sam, at 234-7145 or via email at .  You can make a difference.

Borough crews planted over 150 street trees this spring, most of them replacements for ones removed over the winter months.  The normal size replacement is a 1 ½” caliper tree approximately eight to ten feet in height (Residents can request a larger size tree if they pay for the difference).   Seven nurseries, from as far away as Ohio and New York, delivered over 50 different types of sizes of trees.  Normally only the standard balled & burlapped trees (root ball consisting of soil and roots wrapped in burlap and placed in a wire basket) are used but the Borough has been experimenting with bareroot trees.  Nearly 20 of the bareroot trees were planted this spring.  Bareroot trees are normally less expensive and easier to plant but are difficult to obtain and must be planted within a short time after they are delivered.  All of the recently planted trees are mulched, staked and watered using Tree Gator watering bags.  If you would like additional information or    wish to request a new tree, please contact the Borough Arborist at 234-7145 or via email at .

Funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was directed to our region to develop summer youth employment programs during the summer of 2009. The State College Borough Public Works Department applied for and was selected to be a host employer. This summer, six participants will be working on several projects located in the Borough for six weeks on at least three projects.

The first project is the demolition and re-building of a public access/neighborhood pathway. The path way is located on Royal Road and Sandpiper Drive as well as Inverary Place and Sandpiper Drive.

The “Ascent” sculpture by artist Mark Pilato is on display at the Schlow Centre Region Library at the corner of Beaver Avenue and Allen Street until December 31, at which time it will be moved to a location on the Penn State University Park campus. 

Mark Pilato, originally from State College, created the memorial sculpture to honor those who died in the attacks on September 11, 2001.  Created with no commercial funding, Mr. Pilato said that crafting the piece would help him and others cope with the catastrophic events of that day.   The sculpture has been on display in other locations, including the St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City as part of a memorial service honoring the victims of September 11.

Mr. Pilato has stated that he is so proud to be a sculptor and to have his work “Ascent” shown in his home town.