Ligonier Beach supporters and township officials are poised to figure out what the future of the former Lincoln Highway landmark could be.
They are looking for a consultant to help them create a new plan for redeveloping the former resort as a site for public recreation.
The township bought the property in 2019, and it wants to gauge the feasibility of reviving its large swimming pool while also developing a master plan for the 10-acre parcel, which is along Route 30 east of Ligonier Borough.
The nonprofit Friends of Ligonier Beach has raised money to help the township match $50,000 in state funding for the planning effort, township Manager Michael Strelic said.
He said the consultant will be looking at ideas for the property “starting from scratch, but they’re going to use what they can from previous attempts.”
State officials are reviewing the proposed scope of work for the study before the township seeks proposals from prospective consultants.
The township supervisors Tuesday, Jan. 23 voted to return $42,500 in state funding the township received to assist with a previously planned accessibility project at Ligonier Beach.
That project was proposed to include a walkway and kayak launch that would provide recreational access to adjacent Loyalhanna Creek.
”It seems odd to construct something while doing a master site development plan,” Strelic said. He noted the deadline for using the accessibility funding is set to expire before the new study is completed.
Township engineer Ben Faas said the plans for the accessibility amenities would still be available for possible incorporation in the new master plan.
Working with a local committee, the consultant will be expected to complete a new Ligonier Beach study by the end of next year, Strelic said. Public meetings will be included in that process, he said.
Additional funding from Westmoreland County assisted in demolishing some buildings at the former resort, including a restaurant and a bathhouse.
Opened in 1925 as the Ligonier Valley Bathing Beach, the private resort operated for more than 90 years before it was closed in 2018 after flooding damaged the pool’s water pumps and the restaurant’s furnace.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. . A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.