Buhl Farm Park [Donations --> About Our Capital Campaign]

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BUHL PARK - OUR LIVING LEGACY
After 90 years our best loved facilities need YOUR help.

See why everyone LOVES Buhl Farm Park
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TAKE PART IN KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE

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HELP TO KEEP THE BUHL VISION GROWING

What are the planned improvements?
Restore & renovate the Casino
Construct a new Pool House
Restore Lake Julia
Repair Lake Julia Bridge
Increase the Park's operating endowment
Vision for the Future

Buhl Park's best loved facilities require significant repairs

Ongoing Progress

The first completed capital campaign project is the new Pool House. The facility was in full swing for use at the beginning of the 2007 summer swim season. Read about the details of the improvements by clicking here. Pool House

"Sprucing up" takes place all the time at Buhl Farm! Projects include refurbishing the exterior of Shelter #2, landscaping new trees and shrubs at the parking lot across from the Casino, and repairing and cleaning fifty light posts throughout the park. Last year a new storage building was constructed to house and protect all of the highly specialized equipment which is needed to maintain and care for the golf course and park grounds.

The costly job of repaving many of our roads has been undertaken ($271,000) and will continue into 2009. In addition a state-of-the-art fitness trail, dedicated in honor of G. Leo Winger, was freshly paved last fall and 18 new fitness stations were donated and installed by the Sharon Regional Health System. Get in shape and ENJOY!

Other new equipment abounds, such as fourteen new dog stations and a new sliding board that were purchased through the generosity of the Pokorney Family and Dale Pokorney Foundation, and a pool liner installed last May, which cost $80,000 and was funded in part by the T.J. Kavanagh Foundation and a grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Note the attractive new kiosk located across from the pool area! Designed and funded by the Hermitage Rotary, the KIOSK displays a wonderful map of Buhl Park and its golf course, Park Rules and Regulations, and all the up-to-date information about activities currently taking place in the park. You might want to consider making a special tribute to a loved one by purchasing a permanent brick around its path.

Tree removal of dead or diseased trees is an ongoing project and in 2008, nearly seventeen thousand dollars was spent to remove harmful growth. Continual care is also taken within the Wetland area, where with the assistance of the Mercer County Conservation District and the Department of Environmental Protection, we have removed many invasive species.

2009 is a special and very busy year in Buhl Farm. The long awaited renovation of the Casino will begin. Architect plans, construction bids, and careful preparations are underway to make this huge project come to fruition. While maintaing much of its present design, the new facility will be a delightful spot to entertain and host events in the park. Lake Julia Bridge will also undergo repairs to meet the new compulsory arichitectural codes which require extra supports and new balusters closer together. New end posts will be built and tapered walls will give a soft, beautiful appearance to the remodeled structure.

Ways of Giving

The most common type of gift is conveyed by cash, paypal, or check. But there are many ways to make gifts other than cash. Gifts of property such as securities, real property, and personal property are very popular because they are deductible at fair market value rather than the original cost to the donor. Also gifts of services or materials for use in construction or for some other capital purpose may be made.

"Deferred gifts" are an excellent way to fulfill your planned giving. Remainder or charitable trusts, gifts of life insurance, and bequests are relatively low cost ways to make substantial contributions. Our campaign office has valuable information on the various methods of giving and what type may be the best for you. Feel free to call 724-962-4280 or email us at buhlfarm@verizon.net and we will be most happy to send you the pamphlet "Ways of Giving" that will provide a detailed overview for planning your gift.

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** Learn About Some of the Planned Improvements **

THE CASINO (estimated cost: $3,000,000)
The Casino was once the social center of the valley -- its surfaces and some interior features have deteriorated, and the aging building attracts fewer users nowadays. Portions of this focal point of the Park (and recognized icon of the Shenango Valley) have been repaired or reworked so many times that they are beyond repair. The planned renovations will restore the excitement and glamour the building once enjoyed. The exterior will be restored to its original elegant appearance. Most of the renovations will be done to the first floor (activity/community rooms, kitchen, offices, elevator, new restrooms and handicap accessibility). These renovations will restore the functionality of the Casino. It will be available year round for activities ranging from: social and civic events, corporate gatherings, service club functions, seminars, dances, and fine and performing arts events. Special emphasis will be placed on supporting youth activities.		Repairs begin at the Casino in 2009

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THE POOL HOUSE (estimated cost: $500,000)
Pool House opens in 2007	The old Casino Pool House was created before the days of modern sanitation systems. It had become obsolete and was deteriorating. Thanks to campaign dollars hard at work, the new Pool House opened in 2007. The building offers a new monitored entrance to the pool, two well equipped locker rooms with showers, changing areas, and private lockers, as well as restrooms open to the public. The cost came to $535,000, slightly higher than estimates. Be sure to stop by the facility, and while you are there -- visit the new kiosk across the way to view current activities and maps of the Park.

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LAKE JULIA (estimated cost: $250,000)
The cumulative stress of decades of seasonal change has reduced Lake Julia to a miniature copy of the original. Silting has reduced the depth to the point that the once-robust aquatic habitat is compromised. The quality of fishing, enjoyed by Park visitors of all ages, has diminished. The shoreline has eroded; it is unsightly and raises questions about personal safety. If allowed to continue, the erosion could threaten the Casino's foundation. Trees in the vicinity are reaching the end of their natural lives. Falling branches have broken up stretches of the walkway adjacent to the Lake. Improvements to the Lake will restore wildlife habitat as well as its natural beauty. Once again, Park visitors will enjoy fishing, ice skating, and canoeing, in addition to new environmental and wildlife educational programs. The restored Lake Julia will be brought into compliance with all Department of Environmental Protection mandated improvements, which include the dam and the spillways.
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LAKE JULIA BRIDGE (estimated cost: $250,000)
Modern architectural codes created some changes to the appearance of the bridge, but for the most part this landmark retains its renown beauty within the park. The graceful balusters have been replaced anew and the underlying supports have been reinforced. Construction costs were almost twice the estimate due to 100-year-old unforeseen structural deteriorations. The new repairs should certainly cover the next 100 years! On hand for the ribbon cutting were representatives from the City of Hermitage and from the The Willson Trust who along with some capital campaign funds helped to finance this important project.		Winter ribbon cutting in December 2009

THE ENDOWMENT (estimated cost: $1,600,000)
Increasing the Trust's endowment by this amount (nearly 15%) will help ensure that normal maintenance can be carried out in the foreseeable future, without jeopardizing the principal of the endowment, and that desirable, new programs and facilities, especially those serving young people, can be acquired.
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VISION FOR THE FUTURE
The Buhl Farm Park strategic plan anticipates the following improvements to the facilities and campus after the current campaign objectives have been implemented. The current cost estimates for these Future Goals is $1,200,000.
Community Campaign Kicks Off	Baseball field/public restroom Upper pond/wetlands Wilderness area, created in conjunction with adjacent wetlands Reforestation/trees Tennis courts/programs Golf Course/Driving Range (Artificial surface tees, Irrigation system, Storage building, Equipment - mowers, dresser, utility cart, sprayer, ball dispenser & washer) Wellness Course Improvements Roads (Kite field/sled riding loops. Pavement of all park roads, perimeter and interior Maintenance Equipment Additional Recreational Activities: horseshoes, volleyball, shuffleboard Parking Lots (New - Activity Building, playground area, & Shelter #2) Storm sewers/catch basin repair Pool Improvements (Filter and liner)

Looking further into the future, the Buhl Farm Trustees have contemplated the question of how the park can best serve its community residents in the next 25, 50, or 100 years. In response, the Trustees have established the following criteria for planning future improvements:
Stay true to the missions and vision of Frank and Julia Buhl. Retain the "open space" environment at the Park. Keep the Legacy alive. Provide healthy, wholesome, and desirable leisure activities for the residents of the Shenango Valley.