The ladies of Knox Civic Club are proud to announce that they are the recipient of a grant provided by The McElhattan Foundation. The $100,000 contribution will be used to improve the safety and security of Knox Community Park, affectionately known by locals as “Peanut Park”.
The park is owned and maintained by the Knox Civic Club. The land was purchased in 1920. Since then generations have been enjoying this picturesque park of mature shade trees, green grass, swings, play equipment, and peaceful benches.
The park’s most popular icon, the merry-go-round, was built almost 100 years ago by Roy Underwood, the founder of Knox Glass. It was restored to its original working condition by Swartfager Welding and other volunteers in 2018.
A large, 80ft x 30ft pavilion was built by Wilbur Johnson and completed in 1955 using a unique split ring construction. Numerous additions and upgrades have taken place with the help of community volunteers. The most recent addition, a Tiny Library, was added by Rebecca Lander in 2021 as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award.
The McElhattan family’s roots are in Knox and Franklin, PA, and they are committed to seeing those communities thrive. Their grant-making supports locally-led initiatives that improve residents’ job opportunities, health, safety, and general quality of life.
Knox Community Park needs repairs and updates above the normal yearly maintenance due to age, use, and vandalism. Thankfully, The McElhattan Foundation is dedicated to seeing many more generations enjoy the park and is investing in its rehabilitation and revitalization.
Phase 1 focuses on fixing issues caused by poor property drainage and addressing causes within the park. Plans also include an overall inspection, repair, and as-needed replacements to current playground equipment. Most of the repairs are minor, some are due to age, others due to vandalism, but needed to guarantee the safest play environment possible. This includes the replacement of swing seats, plexiglass port-holes, plastic/wooden borders, painting/rust removal, fixing the chain-link fences and gates, the addition of protective play surfacing, and updates to the restroom.
Along with the investment from McElhattan Foundation, Knox Civic Club is launching a capital campaign to garner community support for ongoing costs associated with maintaining the historic park and for new additions.
To get involved with this project or for more information, please call or text Melissa Fulton at (814) 221-1495 or email melissafulton79@gmail.com
The club meets at 7 PM on the 3rd Monday of Each month at Edenburg Presbyterian Church - 405 Main St. Knox, and are welcoming new members. Please visit the Knox Civic Club Facebook page for all the latest updates and information.