Category: Commentary/Editorial || By

The City of McKeesport held its first meeting of the Mayor's Committee on Community Issues on Wednesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. at the Corpus Christi Social Hall on Walnut Street.

City residents' attendance was hampered by the weather but the City Administration was well represented and included members of City Council, the Fire Department, Police Department, Recreation Department, representatives of the Housing Corporation, Community Development Department, City Solicitor and members of our local Task Force.

If the Stakeholders that were present at the meeting are any indication, and using the current meeting format, the goal --- to Focus on Solutions --- is off to a good start.

Residents were reminded that this is not a single event but an ongoing process to focus on solutions to the problems that are presented.

Questions presented by the audience ranged in questions/concern for grants for the Emergency Shelter, sidewalk concerns, possible land subsidence around a home on Locust Street, and flooding and drainage concerns in the area of Jenny Lind and Locust streets. Crime areas of concern were identified as well as discussions of the Ward Park Areas.

A general discussion was had about businesses being brought into the city with many known and unknown projects to include new restaurant, retail and a small convenience store in the Downtown area. A suggestion of using the Old Midtown Mall as a Small Business incubator was suggested by a member of the audience. The city is actively pursing any possible lead to improve the businesses growth in the area, and the regional county courthouse in downtown is being actively discussed again.

The tragic accident that resulted in the loss of a young life and some options that are being discussed between the City of McKeesport administration and the McKeesport Area School District, with a push to have a fence installed at the curb to control pedestrian flow to designated areas along Eden Park Boulevard and O’Neil Boulevard. Also being discussed is placing a curb/sidewalk to guide entrance and exit into the Giant Eagle parking lot, closer to the donut shop, and make it "right turn only" from the parking lot onto Eden Park Boulevard.

The next meeting will be in the Seventh Ward area in mid-April, and all residents are highly encouraged to attend. Remember, we who all live here in the city are all responsible to help.