North Belle Vernon’s streetscape project to honor borough’s history

By TAYLOR BROWN
tbrown@yourmvi.com

When the North Belle Vernon streetscape project is completed this fall, residents will be reminded of the borough’s history as they drive or walk along Broad Avenue.
The streetscape project, which will focus on four intersections along Broad Avenue, will start today after months of planning and preparations.
Earlier this year, the borough received permission from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to utilize a multi-modal $150,000 grant to move forward with a project years in the making.
Officials applied for the grant in 2019 as part of a $1 million streetscape project.
As they were planning to put the project out for bid, they received word funding would not be available for Phase II.
Not wanting to leave the business district looking unfinished, officials started to brainstorm an alternative plan so the approved funding would not go to waste.
Councilman RJ Sokol said the new upgrades will have a large visual impact for the community and will serve as a way to preserve the history of the borough.
The project will feature colorful stamped designs, logos and mascots of former North Belle Vernon schools over four major intersections at Just A Tavern (Arch Street and Broad Avenue), Ferguson Funeral Home (Vine Street and Broad Avenue), the intersection in front of St. Sebastian Church (Fayette and Broad avenues) coming from Washington Township; and at Cal Cuthbert Pools and Fireplaces (Fayette and Broad avenues) coming from Interstate 70.
“With the project being cut off at the knees, we knew we had to come up a way to make the most of what we were given,” Sokol said. “I thought it would be a nice idea to decorate our intersections as attractions.”
Former councilman Mark Frederick then came up with the idea to feature former school houses.
“With a lot of help and a lot of research we were able to track down the first school dating back to 1946,” Sokol said. “That is when North Belle Vernon has its own high school and we’re known as the Jack Rabbits.”
The Jack Rabbits will be featured at the intersection of Arch Street and Broad Avenue.
“Then in 1946 to 1951, North Belle Vernon came together with Belle Vernon and were called the Burnin Bulldogs,” he said. “The Bulldogs will be featured at Vine Street and Broad Avenue.”
In 1952, the Bulldogs were joined by students from Washington Township, Naomi, Fayette City and other small communities and formed the Bellmar Hurricanes, which will be featured at Fayette Street and Broad Avenue.

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