Revving into Reading: Pine Community Center draws crowds for Touch-a-Truck, library center opening
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The Pine Community Center was crowded inside and out during an event appropriately named Revving into Reading.
In the parking lot, a Touch-a-Truck activity provided opportunities for youngsters to get close-up views while learning about various bigger-than-a-car vehicles that respond to emergencies, work on construction projects and, when Mother Nature dictates, plow snow.
While that was transpiring, Northern Tier Regional Library’s Pine Center officially opened, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place at noon Sept. 14.
The new branch is situated in a community center room overlooking the unspoiled beauty of Pine Community Park, with windows on two sides letting in plenty of natural light while allowing for some picturesque sights. In fact, kits with binoculars are available for patrons to get better looks at the scenery.
“Revving into Reading was a fantastic day for Pine, really showing how dedicated we are to making Pine Community Park a vibrant and welcoming place for everyone,” Ryan Columbo, vice chairman of the township board of supervisors, said. “Seeing Touch-a-Truck, the library grand opening and all the different sports activities come together was a joy, and it brought a wonderful mix of people to the park.”
Library board member Ken Knapp reported that the satellite location was a long time coming.
“About 30 years ago, Pine actually started the conversations to join Richland,” he said about the neighboring township’s library. “And that was when we came together and joined in with the Northern Tier Library that was built way back then. One of the requirements then from our board was that we would need a presence in Pine.”
Pine-Richland High School served the purpose, at first bringing in a healthy representation of community members. As perceptions of schools changed, though, a different location was sought.
Through the efforts of library and township officials and staff members, the new venue took shape at Pine Community Center.
“You can request a book online and have it here,” Knapp said about the Allegheny County Library Association’s lending system. “You can drop a book off here. You can access a whole lot of different databases. So there are a lot of services, and there will be a lot of programming.”
As a Pine resident and West Deer native, state Rep. Rob Mercuri is glad to see the new library presence.
“I grew up going to Northern Tier Library in Richland, and my mother used to work there as a librarian,” he said. “To bring it to Pine just opens up whole new avenues for families who want to come check out some storybooks and read to their kids, and just develop that love of learning.”
Revving into Reading offered lots of crafts and activities, including one that kids look forward to every year: the opportunity to place their painted hand prints on a public works snow plow. This year also boasted an indoor scavenger hunt and outdoor vendors.
The new library branch will offer two book clubs: Coffee and Crime and Pining for Books.
Coffee and Crime will meet next at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26, and the first Pining for Books meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m. Oct. 14.
Regular hours for the Pine Center are:
• Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesday, closed
• Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Thursday: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, closed
• Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Sunday, closed
For more information about Northern Tier Regional Library, visit northerntierlibrary.org.