As a member of West View Council, Kim Steele felt she had a responsibility to the community to make the borough a better place to live.
Following her death in November, her husband is helping make sure that continues.
A $25,000 donation from her husband, Ken Reilly, will be used in part to support further improvements at Glenmore Avenue parklet.
The donation in her memory will also be used toward the construction of the new municipal complex at the former firemen’s banquet hall, where a commemorative plaque to her will be placed in council chambers, Reilly said.
He’s leaving the specifics of the money’s use up to the borough’s discretion.
“The borough manager and council know best how to honor my wife because they knew her very well,” Reilly said. “She was instrumental in the borough of West View. I wanted to make sure that her influence was not waning.”
Steele was 72 when she died on Nov. 26 after a 10-month battle with pancreatic cancer. During her tenure on borough council, she had been president and was most recently vice president.
Both Ross natives, Reilly and Steele had been married for nearly seven years. Steele had lived in West View for more than 40 years.
West View Manager Bruce Fromlak, the borough’s former police chief, said he had known Steele for about all that time. He described her as a down-to-earth, genuine person who was a proud member of the community.
Steele “was a wonderful colleague and friend, as anyone who had the opportunity to meet or work with her would agree,” Fromlak said. “She truly cared about the community throughout her entire personal and public life. Kim had a unique way of not just hearing people, but truly listening, and when she could help, she did so without hesitation.”
Steele was instrumental in supporting improvements throughout West View over the years, including efforts that helped enhance its community parks and public spaces, Fromlak said.
“Most recently, her impact can be seen at Glenmore Avenue park,” he said.
Steele had spearheaded much of the parklet’s development, Reilly said. Once home to an underused and abused tennis court, it was changed to cater to younger children.
“It has been well received by borough residents. It’s well used,” he said.
The Glenmore Avenue parklet playground project was originally made possible through a $125,000 Keystone Grant secured with the support of state Sen. Lindsey Williams and a $15,000 borough contribution.
Reilly’s donation will further enhance the park, Fromlak said.
“These funds will provide much-needed shade structures for the playground equipment, along with additional trees and landscaping to improve the overall environment,” he said. “The project will also include a memorial bench with a shade feature, creating a lasting tribute to Kim’s commitment to the community.”
As West View moves forward without her, Reilly said the borough’s future is strong.
“I think West View is going to sustain itself. It is a vibrant community,” he said. “All of the residents here realize they have something special. It’s the friendliness of the neighbors.”