Scouting Ahead: Fishing Lake for Centennial Plaza Complete

Cranberry Township is moving forward with in

The fishing lake, part of the monument that will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts organization, is complete and awaiting the next phase of the project, the township said in a statement.

The plaza is the nonprofit Cranberry Township Community Chest’s project of the year for 2011. It is located on 3 acres near the baseball campus of the park. Project members believe the plaza will be the only monument to celebrate Scouting’s 100th anniversary.

The fishing lake covers about 1 acre and has a maximum depth of about eight feet. The pond also will detain storm water and receive most of the water runoff from the baseball campus. Rainwater will temporarily raise the level of the pond during storms until it releases through an overflow into nearby Brush Creek. Unlike a dedicated detention pond, the lake will never drain completely.

The total cost to complete the scouting plaza and fishing lake is estimated at $150,000. So far, more than $80,000 has been raised in cash or in-kind donations, including a pond excavation donated by Graham & Sons Construction worth an estimated $15,000. Project members plan to approach businesses and residents for help in raising the rest of the money.

The theme of the plaza is the “Circle of Scouting,” and the layout of the plaza and lake will reflect circles. Potential sponsors are encouraged to commit before construction to have their recognition included within the circle of pavers around the monument.

Pavers ordered before construction will be part of the circle. The circle can be one foot in diameter or 20 feet in diameter, depending on the amount of sponsors before construction. Levels of sponsorship range from $25 to $50,000. For a full list of sponsorship levels, visit the CTCC’s website and click the tab section titled “Scouting Centennial Plaza.”

While this is a Scouting project, CTCC has stepped up to raise the needed funds. The organization is looking for volunteers, individuals or groups to help with the fundraising campaign. The group needs help in writing grant applications and notes, identifying corporate donors, addressing envelopes and visiting businesses and civic groups, residents and neighborhoods. Much of the volunteer work can be done from home.

Those interested in volunteering can contact township supervisor Bruce Mazzoni at brucemazzoni@zoominternet.net or 724-776-4806, ext. 1103. CTCC will cover the costs of marketing, postage and other costs associated with the project. CTCC also has pledged an additional $10,000 to the project.

The nonprofit also hopes to establish an endowment for the Scouting Plaza so there is perpetual care for the next century.

More about the Circle of Scouting theme:

The monument will have three sides. The sandstone plaques will be engraved with the following on each side:

• A mother and father. The mother is holding the hand of her young daughter and the father is holding his son.
• The boy becomes a young Boy Scout and the girl becomes a Girl Scout, both in uniform and saluting the flag.
• The boy and girl as young adults in graduation cap and gown becoming productive members of society.
• The circle then leads back to the original side. The boy and girl now have their own young families, and the “Circle of Scouting” continues for another generation.