Hunter Tebay, of Slippery Rock, tows his daughter, Kingsley, in a custom-made wagon with his wife, Alyssa, following. Gregory Tebay, Hunter's father, made the wagon for his granddaughter. Nathan Bottiger/Butler Eagle

SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — The second annual Car Cruise in Armco Park continued its mission to bring more awareness to the park’s presence, especially its recently reopened pool.

“The pool is open for the summer,” said Sandy Ihlenfeld, executive director of the Butler YMCA. “We also have a splash pad.”

The pool, which had been closed for the last two years, made its official return Saturday. Open to the public, the pool’s hours are noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; noon to 9 p.m., Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Zavier Finucan, 9, spent Sunday afternoon at the Armco pool with his sister, Mayha, and grandparents, Cindy and Bob Miller of Butler. Harold Aughton/Special to the Eagle

Ihlenfeld said while the pool, which has been closed for two years, is the cool feature this summer, the annual car cruise is about showing off all that the park has too offer.

“It’s nice, and it’s close to home,” said Alyssa Tebay, of Slippery Rock. “It’s very family friendly, too.”

Rayna Pennington, 8 months, explores the children’s water park at the Armco pool. Rayna spent the day at the pool with her family, including her grandmother, Edie Pennington; her father, Trevor Pennington; her mother, Ashley Pennington; and her sister, Celena, 6. Harold Aughton/Special to the Eagle

Tebay’s husband, Hunter, towed around their daughter, Kinsley, 16 months, as she sat in a red wagon souped-up with big tires and flame decals. Alyssa Tebay said her father-in-law, Gregory Tebay, had a hand in the wagon’s creation, and he and other members of their family love cars and all other things that move.

Rayna Pennington, 8 months, explores the children’s water park at the Armco pool. Rayna spent the day at the pool with her family, including her grandmother, Edie Pennington; her father, Trevor Pennington; her mother, Ashley Pennington; and her sister, Celena, 6. Harold Aughton/Special to the Eagle

“We grew up around this stuff, the bikes and the hot rods,” she said.

Kinsley’s appreciation showed as she passed a car she particularly liked, she would point and say “Beep, beep,” to which the entire family smiled, laughed and responded “Beep, beep.”

“Kinsley is around cars all day,” her mother said. “She loves them.”

Tom and Chris Murray of Zelienople show off their 1967 Mercedes-Bentz sedan at the Armco Park car show Sunday. Harold Aughton/Special to the Eagle

One of the cars Kinsley passed Sunday was a bright orange 1939 Chevy Master owned by Harry Hovis of Oakland Township.

“My wife picked out the color,” said Hovis with a chuckle. “I said whatever color you want.”

Hovis said he paid $100 for the vehicle when he was 18 years old. He is now 84. He said after some good use, the car eventually sat on his property for a while collecting dust and rust.

Harry Hovos, of Oakland Township, backs his 1939 Chevy Master into a line of classic cars at Sunday's car cruise in Armco Park, Slippery Rock. Nathan Bottiger/Butler Eagle

“It was pushed down in the brush,” Hovis said. “It was in pretty rough shape.”

Hovis said he, his son-in-law and his grandson started restoring it some years ago. He said the running boards, the fenders and the trunk lid all needed replaced, and the car as a whole needed some love and care. He said though it still needs a lot of fixes, he’s happy to have it in working condition.

“I love to drive it,” Hovis said.

Not much farther down the row sat John Putzier of Penn Township, alongside his Shelby Cobra 427 featuring a hot red color accented with white racing stripes and a number.

“I used to take it on the track, but I don’t anymore,” Putzier said.

Putzier said 15 years ago, he had the car built “from the ground up” by Olthoff Racing in North Carolina. It’s one of multiple pieces he has in his collection.

“Raw power,” said Putzier about what sets the 427 apart from the others. “It’s just a skateboard with a motor.”

Putzier said he was not at last year’s cruise in Armco Park, but he liked what he saw.

The car show had more than 100 cars forming neat lines in the park. Some of the cars were clean and polished, but others presented their nostalgia in the form of rust, patina and, in some cases, creativity.

According to John Malinsky, president of the Butler Rodfathers, his club members brought more than 25 of the cars displayed. The club has assisted with coordinating the cruise for the last two years, and its members have become staples in the fleet.

Malinksy said the space at Armco Park presents an ideal place to have a car show.

“This has turned out to be a real good event,” Malinsky said. “We have a good membership, and everyone works hard to make these work.”

Malinsky said this is one of many cruises their club participates in each year with their biggest being Cruise-A-Palooza in downtown Butler, which returns for its 27th year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26.

He said each year Cruise-A-Palooza helps support their club, and all proceeds beyond their goal get donated to upward of eight different charities.

“This is what Rodfathers do,” he said.

Likewise, the YMCA is using the car cruise to raise its own funds. All of the cruise’s proceeds, mostly from a basket and 50-50 raffles, will go toward the park’s upkeep.

“This park is a community gem,” Ihlefeld said. “We’re just trying to bring attention to it.”