Bethel Park’s Coverdale 100th anniversary celebration and Miner's Memorial Park grand reopening set for Saturday

A celebration a century in the making is set for Saturday in Bethel Park.

Coverdale’s 100th anniversary and Miner’s Memorial Park grand reopening is set for 10 a.m.

Festivities start with a historical exhibit at Bethel Baptist Church reviewing Coverdale from its mining origins to present day.

A formal program is scheduled for 11 a.m. to noon.

It will include acknowledgements of special guests, local dignitaries, community history, a special mayoral proclamation and the official ribbon cutting for Miner’s Memorial Park.

Timothy Moury, council and historical society president, will serve as master of ceremonies.

“We’re so glad that we’re able to celebrate the history of the community and what Coverdale means to Bethel Park,” Moury said.

Guests are invited to enjoy lunch, dinner and visit the exhibit. A special commemorative booklet will also be available for guests to purchase. The day will conclude with a 9:45 p.m. fireworks display.

Event honorary chair members include Reno Virgili, Pete Edwards and Mayor Jack Allen.

Councilman Joe Consolmagno at Monday meeting encouraged people to attend the ceremony.

“Coverdale is a hidden diamond in Ward 1 and Bethel Park in general,” he said.

Park upgrades include a new playground, handicap accessible sidewalks, fencing, an upgraded concession stand, new basketball courts and storm water management upgrades.

A “Friends and Family Day” at Bethel Baptist Church, where guests can continue spending time with one another in fellowship, is planned for Sunday. A time was not announced for that event.

“It is my prayer that the legacy of Coverdale continues until the end of time,” event organizer and Coverdale neighborhood resident Diane Ford said via release. “We’re a big family and we support one other. I love my Coverdale family. Also, Coverdale is one of the most ethnically diverse communities with deep generational ties in Bethel Park.”

Quick history

Borough officials said Coverdale is an area rich in history dating back to 1915, when the Montour Railroad started buying farmland in the area and selling portions to the Pittsburgh Terminal Railroad and Coal Company.

William Hugh Coverdale was the Pittsburgh Terminal Railroad board chairman at that time. When the Coverdale mine opened in 1920, the town was planned to be better than other mining towns, offering better amenities, housing and more. Coverdale wanted to create a mining town that was superior to others and set a new bar for mining towns. And, he wanted the town to be named after him because he was proud of what Coverdale became.

When the mine closed in 1948, Coverdale residents bought the property that they once rented and made improvements to the homes in the area.

The history of what occurred in Coverdale after this time will be discussed by historian and curator Bob McCormick at Saturday’s program.

Bethel Park Chamber of Commerce director Connie Ruhl will also be talking about the development of Bethel Park’s Industrial area.