In August of this year, the park began its transition from temporary to permanent memorial. Phase I includes the Wall of Names, which is inscribed with the names of the 40 passengers and crew and will be unveiled during the dedication on Saturday, September 10^th, 2011. Vice President Joe Biden will deliver the keynote address.

The dedication ceremony begins at 10:00AM. A complete schedule of the day’s events and additional relevant details for the September 10, 2011 activities is available on this page of the National Park Service’s website.

On Sunday, September 11^th, 2011, the memorial will hold a commemorative service, beginning at 8:30AM. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are scheduled to visit to lay a wreath at the site. A complete schedule of the day’s events and additional relevant details for the September 11, 2011 activities is available on this page of the National Park Service’s website.

Directions to the memorial are available on the National Park Service website or you can click here for directions via Google Maps.

Admission to all events is free. The Park Service encourages you to arrive two hours early to park and get through security. Additional details are available on the Flight 93 National Memorial area of the National Park Service website.

Attention all dog owners–look no further for a great place to take your favorite four-legged furry friend. Recently opened to the public, the Sandyvale Dog Park is a fenced-in retreat for dogs.

Until recently, dog owners in and around the Johnstown area have been limited in the amount of outdoor activities due to the lack of a proper dog park. As of noon on July 10^th 2011 that all changed. The Sandyvale Dog Park hosted approximately 500 people at the dedication and grand opening event.

Jennifer Pynkala, the assistant manager of the Richland Town Centre PetCo is the chairwoman and brains behind this project. “We have received a warm response to the park,” explains Jennifer. “With the large fenced in area, there is plenty of room for dogs to play and run free. The Sandyvale Dog Park is a great place to enjoy time with your dog.”

The Sandyvale Dog Park does not only offer activities for dogs, but the park has something for everyone. The total park consists of a greenhouse, public garden plots, indoor farmers market, a music venue, as well as the dog park and walking trail. The greenhouse is being built and donated by vo-tech students. The garden plots will be open to the general public and allow residents to grow their own food.

Future plans for the park consist of a “Yappy Hour” for dogs and their owners to socialize and get their training and nutritional questions answered by a representative from PetCo. Also, the Bark for Life of Cambria County is scheduled for October 1, 2011 at the park.

Thanks to the Sandyvale Dog Park for creating a safe and enjoyable place to take your dog in the Johnstown area.

For more information check out their Facebook page.

What better way to spend a snowy Saturday in Johnstown than enjoying a timeless winter activity like sledding? Nothing beats the thrill of racing down a steep hill as you feel the wind on your face. If you need a cure to your winter blues, grab your sled and head to Stackhouse Park for an afternoon of fun.

Every Saturday throughout winter, as long as there’s an accumulation of snow, Stackhouse Park in Westmont hosts Slide and Ride, a sledding event for kids of all ages. The park boasts a quarter-mile slope that draws families from all over the Johnstown area. Don’t worry about the walk up the hill; once you reach the bottom, an ATV will give you a lift back up to the top.

After you’re worn out or ready for a break, you can warm up with hot chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers, compliments of the park.

Stackhouse Park features plenty of other events throughout the year, such as hiking, orienteering, camping, cross country skiing, and nature studies. You can find more information about the Slide and Ride as well as other Stackhouse activities by visiting their website or calling (814) 536-1674.

Stackhouse Park is located at 998 Luzerne Street in the Westmont neighborhood of Johnstown (click here for a map). Visit their website at www.stackhousepark.com. Click here to join their Facebook group and receive all the latest news on the park.

Recreation opportunities abound in the Johnstown PA area. Hiking, biking, running and kayaking are some of the most popular activities our residents and guests can often be witnessed enjoying. For many of our younger citizens, the activity of choice is skateboarding and BMX riding. The greater Johnstown region happily boasts two skate parks—one in Johnstown’s West End; the other at Windber Recreation Park—that were created to meet the specific needs of these athletes.

The West End skate park is located at the Bheam School Playground on the corner of J Street and Fairfield Avenue and features a variety of equipment for riders, including:

• 4’ half pipe
• 4’ incline
• 4’ spine
• 4’ quarter pipe
• Small box

Click here for a map to the Johnstown, PA skate park.

The Windber-area skate park is open from 8:00AM to dusk and is located at Windber Recreation Park, on Route 160, East of Windber, PA. This park features:

• 4’ quarter pipe
• Fun box
• Rails
• and more

Click here for a map to the Windber, PA skate park.

In both cases, access to the skate park is free. The use of protective equipment is the responsibility and choice of the rider, though use of a helmet is strongly recommended. Additionally, both parks permit bicycle use of the equipment.

Photograph courtesy of Band of Brothers Shakespeare Company

The tradition of live Shakespeare performances in the outdoor setting of Johnstown’s Stackhouse Park continues with the Band of Brothers Shakespeare Company’s presentation of “The Merry Wives of Windsor”.

The comedic play features the conniving (and legendary Shakespearean character) Sir John Falstaff as a man determined to woo (and subsequently swindle) two wealthy married women. Hilarity ensues when the mistresses discover Falstaff’s intentions and decide to entertain themselves with a bit of revenge.

A feather in the Band of Brothers Shakespeare Company’s cap is its commitment to making William Shakespeare’s plays accessible and entertaining for audiences of all types. With this year’s production they’ve raised the bar yet again by shaking free of Elizabethan-era trappings and staging the production as a circa-1950s television sitcom.

Set exclusively in middle-class life, the storyline transitions flawlessly into the retro style of mid-last century. “You have to really explore with comedies,” says Laura Gordon, Artistic Director. “In their written form they can be very complicated. This play lends itself so easily to a television sitcom, which helps with understanding the story more easily.”

The location of the Band of Brothers presentations is as alluring as the plays they perform. Staged at Stackhouse Park in Johnstown’s Westmont neighborhood, the venue provides the opportunity to enjoy live theatre under an open sky. Stackhouse Park is located at 998 Luzerne Street (click here for a map). Theatre-goers have the choice of walking the path down into the park or using the courtesy shuttle, which regularly departs from the Westmont Middle School.

For your own comfort, be sure to bring a chair or blanket and refreshments (and, perhaps, a light coating of bug spray).

The company will stage six performances of “The Merry Wives of Windsor”-July 17-18 and July 22-25. All shows begin at 7:00PM and are approximately 90 minutes long. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for students and senior citizens.

Now in its 19th season, the Band of Brothers Shakespeare Company is a non-profit performing arts organization. The cast and crew are volunteers, as are the many other members of the community that make the annual productions a reality. The payback comes from providing a gem to the Johnstown community and by delivering a worthwhile performance. Says Mrs. Gordon, “These productions would stand up with pride and dignity with anything else I’ve seen.” Learn more by visiting their Web site, www.bandofbrothersshakespeare.org.

To learn more about Stackhouse Park, visit www.stackhousepark.com.