Zelienople Gets Gift of $100,000 for Amphitheater

Through his leadership roles on the Connoquenessing Valley Community Chest, the Zelienople Public Library Board and the Zelienople Rotary Club, James A. Ayers Sr. was a familiar face to many in Zelienople.

And after his family made a generous donation yesterday on his behalf, Ayers' name will continue to be well known throughout the borough.

On Tuesday, The Ayers Foundation granted $100,000 in Ayer’s name to Zelienople. The foundation is a private, independent grant-making organization committed to eliminating cancer-related deaths, reducing poverty and supporting other social causes. Its primary geographic area is western Pennsylvania.

Zelienople manager Don Pepe said the money would be used to design and build a public amphitheater, named for Ayers, in the Zelienople Community Park.

Zelienople and the Community Park Board members expressed their gratitude to The Ayers Foundation for the grant.

“We proudly accept this wonderful gift to our community and will be honored to build this amphitheater in Mr. Ayers’ name,” said Charles Underwood, Zelienople’s council president. “The benefit that this facility will be to people of the region is immeasurable. It will be a place for music and artistic talent to be made available to all for many years to come.”

A Harmony resident, Ayers was a public accountant who practiced for many years in Zelienople. According to a borough news release, he was committed to the community and served in many capacities, including president of the Zelienople Chamber of Commerce. In 1989, he won the group’s Distinguished Service Award. He also worked with youth in the Boy Scouts program and the Zelienople-Harmony Athletic Association.

Pepe said Ayers' family, including his wife, Florence; his son, James Jr.; and his daughter-in-law, Renee, approached him several months ago and asked if they could do something for the borough in Ayer’s name.

Pepe said he gave the family several options with the amphitheater as one of his top suggestions.

The manager said Pashek Associates, the Pittsburgh firm that designed the master plan for the borough’s community park, would act as landscape architect for the project. The amphitheater will feature terraced lawn seating, he said.

“It’s going to be as natural possible,” he said.

Borough officials hope to begin construction this year with completion of the project by summer 2012.