Nature lovers and trail enthusiasts exploring Fox Chapel parks have a new space to take a break.
In what borough officials have called a fitting tribute to a former mayor, a bench recently was installed in Scott Park.
Dedicated to Mayor Walter “Alex” Scott III, its inscription reads, “With gratitude and recognition of your many years of service, Fox Chapel thanks you.”
Scott, a semiretired real estate business developer, served the borough for 27 years including 13 years as mayor.
He and his wife, Cris, will celebrate their 56th anniversary later this year. They had a seat on the bench April 30.
“I’m really happy that they did something nice,” Scott said. “I really appreciate it.”
The bench faces Sycamore Run stream.
Cris Scott called it a pleasant place to sit and meditate and “think about how lucky we are.”
Located at the corner of Hemlock Hollow and Riding Meadow roads, the park is about 4 acres of an estimated 40 acres donated to the borough a generation ago by the Scott family.
It is an entry point to Trillium Trail and serves as a transition or directional point of a larger trail that stretches from one end of Fox Chapel to the other and goes into O’Hara.
The land donation was made by Scott’s grandfather, Walter A. Scott; father, Walter Scott II; and uncle, Stewart Porter.
“This valley was undeveloped and the borough wanted to keep it that way,” Scott said. “I’m proud of what (my family) did. They’re the ones who bought and gave this land away. I like to say, ‘Well, I did a little bit.’ After they did all their good stuff, I thought I should do something so I volunteered.”
Scott said he picked the spot for the bench with the help of borough public works director Larry Kurpakus, who did not return calls seeking comment.
Borough Manager Julie Bastianini said the 8-foot-long bench was donated by the Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy, a nonprofit separate from the borough. It was installed in February with a total cost of about $2,200.
It was first revealed to the Scott family at a private gathering in December.
Council unanimously passed a resolution honoring Scott’s service to the borough Dec. 15.
Scott did not seek reelection last year. Former Councilman Jonathan Colton prevailed in the November election. He resigned from council effective Jan. 4.
Wesley Posvar, parks commission chairman, was appointed to Colton’s council seat.
Posvar was instrumental in the bench project and helped draft its engraving.
He said there was input from many others who wanted to thank the former mayor for all he has done for the borough.
“It reflects everybody’s thoughts,” Posvar said. “It’s not my input. It’s really everybody’s input. He’s always had an interest in the parks. His family is behind Scott Park, and, with his decades of service, it just seemed appropriate to recognize him that way. It’s better than a declaration sitting on a wall in the borough building.”
Scott is a co-founder of the parks conservancy, which operates under the umbrella of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.
He hopes more people join the nonprofit dedicated to the care and protection of the parks.
“We’ve got such a great community, and we want to keep making it better,” Scott said.
More information about Fox Chapel’s parks is available at foxchapelparksconservancy.org.