Mayor announces polar plunge, warming center and honors Historical Society; holiday-lighting winners named

Mayor Allen and municipal staff used the Jan. 13 meeting to announce community events, warming-center access for cold weather and to honor the Bethel Park Historical Society for its work preserving local history.

Miss Denny, municipal manager, said the Bethel Park School District will host a polar bear plunge for Special Olympics on Jan. 31. The site is the only traveling site in Allegheny County for that event; the school district’s fundraising goal is $10,000 and a municipal employee/elected-official team is being organized. “Their goal is to raise $10,000 for Special Olympics,” Miss Denny said. She also noted a chili cook-off and bourbon tasting hosted by Fantastic 4 Charities through the Bethel Park Community Foundation on Feb. 1; tickets were available at Eby’s Hardware.

Mayor Allen confirmed municipal employees and elected officials will participate in a noon–1 p.m. plunge on Jan. 31, followed by hot coffee from 1–4 p.m. The mayor also presented the results of the municipality’s 2024 holiday-lighting contest, announcing winners from each ward and presenting a formal mayoral award for excellence to households across the borough.

Council presented a community-service award to the Bethel Park Historical Society. A representative of the Historical Society told the council the organization has raised more than $1.3 million from fundraising, grants and in-kind contributions to preserve the Schoolhouse Arts and History Center and that operating costs for the building are roughly $3,000 per month. The society outlined upcoming programs and said volunteers meet weekly; the representative encouraged residents to visit and consider volunteering.

Mayor Allen and staff urged attendees to use the community center as a warming center during very cold weather and reminded residents to remove cars from public ways during snow events to allow plows to clear streets.