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Volunteers say Rye Township park is maintained by community after municipal pullback; lawsuit, floodway rules complicate grants
Summary
Representatives of the Rye Township Community Association told the Picture Perry group they logged hundreds of volunteer hours to maintain a local park after the township declined responsibility; a lawsuit over a replaced ballfield fence and floodway concerns has further complicated support and grant eligibility.
Representatives from the Rye Township Community Association told the Picture Perry work group that volunteers have been maintaining a local park after the township stepped back from maintenance responsibilities and that municipal disputes have made pursuing grants difficult.
John Scholes, who identified himself with the Rye Township Community Association, said volunteers logged significant time: "This past year, I think myself, my wife, and my children have put in over about 450 hours of volunteer time." He said the group has limited funding and that matching requirements make some grants unattainable.
Scholes said the situation escalated when the association replaced an outfield chain-link fence and a lawsuit followed. "The straw that broke the camel's back this year was the lawsuit because we replaced an outfield fence," he said, and participants noted that FEMA or PEMA raised floodway and fill concerns in related reviews. Meeting participants described inconsistent township positions—saying a similar township fence was not an obstruction while volunteers were told theirs was—complicating compliance and insurance outcomes.
Speakers encouraged the volunteer group to continue documenting maintenance and to pursue inclusion in Picture Perry so projects can be listed for potential grant funding. No municipal representative from the township responded on the call and no formal action was recorded.
