Community Vision Statement

In 2020, our community will be a place where all people are working toward a better life for their families, employed and respect the diversity of our community. Where all children can live in a safe, healthy and happy environment. We value education, family, property, our heritage, neighbors and respectful of others. We believe that by working together we can create a quality of life where South Connellsville will become even a better community to live in and where people want to live for all future generations and more to come.

Projects from meeting on 9/29/09.

1. Need to identify and develop way to reuse the current Anchor Plant and find ways to use the plant to attract new companies to Connellsville and South Connellsville, to create new and sustainable jobs.  (Economic Development)

Community Meeting, October 13, 2009

1. Adult and youth programs need to focus on jobs in the community. (Let us not train and have our youth to leave the area). (Workforce Development)
2. Expand Educational Opportunities/Training  by Career Technology Centers. (Workforce Development)
3. Enhance/Market recreational areas for youth. (Recreation)
4. Indoor or Outdoor Skate park (like one in Greensburg). (Recreation)
5. Focus on the trail (what type is needed) and Market the Trail Town. (Tourism)
6. Tourism industry is all we have left in Connellsville. (It will never again be the Coal & Coke Capital of the world. Anchor Hocking will never be back).  We need to create businesses here that cater to travelers, i.e. hotels, outdoor retail centers, Bed & Breakfast, etc. (Tourism)
7. Have S. Connellsville connect  to the Great Allegheny Passage by renovating existing bridge over the river to tie this community in with Connellsville to reap the tourist dollars. (Tourism)
8. Expand FACT Transportation routes and hours in Connellsville area (people cannot work a 3-11 shift and ride the FACT bus to work). (Infrastructure)
9. Improved Train Station in Connellsville which provides baggage service or roll on, roll-off bicycle service for trail users. (Infrastructure)
10. Create safe bike lanes (or any bike path) through cities and towns and between communities. (Infrastructure)
11. Increase recycling services (pick up more than once a week or deop off locations for more materials). (Infrastructure)
12. Continue to support festivals and perhaps several churches could work together and provide an even larger festival (attracting people from further away). (Religious/Spiritual Community)
13. Currently even our TV commercials are focusing on these type of “Help Your Neighbor” – since there is no money available. It’s amazing where people look when they aren’t distracted by the physical restraints. (Religious/Spiritual Community).
14. Embracing the concept of “professional inclusion” in local government. (Local Government)
15. Utilize or rehabilitate old buildings. (Community Development)
16. More Elm Street Projects through DCED (can focus on crime). (Community Development)
17. Increase number of farmers markets (walkable) in S. Connellsville area. (Agriculture)
18. Market Buy Local Products to area residents in S. Connellsville area. (Agriculture)
19. Add Farmer’s Co-ops. (Agriculture)
20. Connellsville would be a great hub for an outstanding Farmer’s Market (i.e. Greensburg’s) that would encompass farmers from all surrounding townships.  (Agriculture)
21. Educate the community about viable alternatives to Fossil Fuels. (Energy)
22. Provide incentives for residential and commercial buildings to increase energy and efficiency or use alternative energy. (Energy)
23. We need for public schools to work hand in hand with health and human services agencies. (Education)
24. Expand courses offered by WCCC (more affordable). (Education)
25. Expand courses offered at the Vocational Technical schools. (Education)
26. School Districts need to have a general course of studies with appropriate grade ranges so that students who move throughout the school district (due to divorce, foster care, etc.) that they are not being set up to fail. Example: Algebra taught at 8th & 9th grades in all districts instead of a student starting geometry and moving to another district where they can only take Algebra II due to his/her grade level. (Education)
27. Promote and expand Community Reinvestment Opportunities. (Economic Development)
28. Anchor building needs to be promoted – was going to be used by film and fell through. (Economic Development)
29. Expand services offered at local hospital. (Health)
30. Increase education and services that will reduce infant mortality rate. (Health)
31. Draw “high professionals” to the area, i.e. Doctors, Psychiatrists, etc.
32. Make/Increase services and community accessibility for Sr. Citizens. (Social Conditions)
33. Increase number of Drug Education & Awareness programs. (Social Conditions).
34. Focus on prevention for Drug & Alcohol. (Social Conditions)
35. Community needs to be receptive to Social Programs. (Social Conditions)
36. We would like to see industry back in the community. (Workforce Development)
37. We would like to see career education for the youth in the community. (Education/Workforce Development)
38. We need more emphasis on the existing agricultural community. (Agriculture)
39. We need more emphasis on the Tourism Industry. (Tourism)
40. Would like to see improvement in the services and delivery and access for the service for our older population. (Social Conditions/Transportation)
41. We need a hotel here (S.Connellsville) for our tourists. (Tourism/Economic Development)
42. We need an attitude change of the residents in this area. (S.Connellsville) (Social Conditions)
43. Housing is a major problem! (Housing)
44. Need JOBS.  Money is the bottom line, if you have jobs you can keep things circulating. (Economic Development)
45. We need more emphasis on the arts and sciences. (Arts & Culture)
46. We need to maintain the community fire department, police department, and governing body here in S. Connellsville.(Community Development/Local Government)
47. We need to have collaboration within the Township. (S.Connellsville) (Local Government)
48. We need to set career goals for our students (They plan for the weekends, but do not plan for their futures). (Education)
49. We need to get cooperation going on between the schools and the employers (See what the employers want in an employee and then get the student interested in a particular field-plant his goal).   (Education/Workforce Development)
50. Be involved with student E-Mentoring progams (something to work toward). (Education/Workforce Development)

 Do not forget to submit ideas and comments in (Leave a Reply).