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Cranberry officials, partners celebrate grand opening of Armstrong Great Lawn

Boy Scout Troop 404 of Cranberry Township raises an American flag during the Cranberry Township Great Lawn Initial Ribbon Cutting at Cranberry Township Municipal Center on Thursday, Nov. 21. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

CRANBERRY TWP — Following an extended building process, township residents can now enjoy the community space in front of the municipal building that they helped make possible.

Township officials and financial backers of the project held a ribbon cutting for the Armstrong Great Lawn opening on Thursday evening, Nov. 21, marking a significant milestone for what was the 2024 Cranberry Township Community Chest Project of the Year.

“It’s an awesome feeling when you work so hard for a project to come together,” township manager Dan Santoro said. “It really highlights the collaboration and connectivity of the community. It’s more than just the space. It’s about the kind of things that are going to happen in that space.”

The local Boy Scouts of America troop raised the American flag to begin the ceremony. Several speakers then took to the podium to commemorate the completion of what was a significant undertaking to improve the scenery of the township’s main facility.

The Armstrong Great Lawn will provide about two and a half acres of pedestrian-friendly green space for residents to enjoy throughout the year. Without a traditional main street running through the township, officials hope the space can help members of the community come together and build lasting relationships.

“Real community is made up of families, people and connecting,” Santoro said. “That’s what this space is above anything else is a place for families to come and enjoy time together whether they’re visiting the library, playing in the fountain or watching movies on the lawn. All of those things are family-oriented, and families are what makes a community.”

The project required numerous helping hands and civic partners, including title sponsor Armstrong, playground sponsors Fun Fore All Family Fun Park and First Energy Foundation, and the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, which served as an amenity sponsor.

“Everybody contributed to the lawn, which means that everybody knows that they’re welcome,” said Cranberry Township civic partnerships coordinator Amy Smith. “That’s the point of the lawn is that everyone is welcome. Participating in the build, the design or helping us organize events on the lawn is going to make everyone feel like it’s part of their home.”

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