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Verona Borough recently completed a beautification project with the installation of several new welcome signs at multiple entrances to the municipality.
In the works for over a year, the new signs were placed at both ends of Allegheny River Boulevard, replacing old ones that no longer conformed to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations.
The project was sponsored by the Oakmont-Verona Rotary Club and Verona Chamber of Commerce, in addition to multiple fundraisers by the Verona Eagles. There were also numerous private donors, as 75 individuals contributed funds to the project, which cost $16,000.
The borough contracted out Precision Sign and Awning of Carnegie to complete the project, and the new signs are made of 1/8-inch-thick aluminum plating and mounted on 6-by-6-foot painted wooden posts, and they are in full compliance with current PennDOT regulations.
Originally slated for a 12-16 week turnaround, the signs took 27 weeks due to ongoing supply-chain issues still prevalent from the covid-19 pandemic.
The signs were officially installed on Sept. 13, and the response from the community, members of which helped choose the design and colors of the signs, so far has been positive.
“Installation went well and we had great cooperation from Verona Borough,” local resident and project lead Jeff Pepper said. “And all of the social media response has been positive, and everyone has been happy.”
Now that the signs are installed, the Rotary will look to add some landscaping surrounding both signs in order continue a recent revitalization of the borough.
“Verona is experiencing a renaissance with new businesses and recreational facilities,” Pepper said. “These new signs show the world that the community is vibrant and moving forward.”
Karyn Brooks, president of the Oakmont-Verona Rotary Club, credits Pepper, who received Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow recognition in just his second year in the organization, for seeing the project through to completion.
“I would like to thank all those who have helped along the way as well, and especially Jeff. What an amazing and beautiful recognition welcoming the visitors and residents with the town colors,” she said.
“My first Rotary conversation with Jeff in September of 2020 at The Lot inviting him to become a member of our Rotary club included us participating in the fundraising of the pickleball courts in Verona and the idea of fundraising for new welcome signs in Verona, which he really liked and took off running, and $16,000 later, the signs are installed and beautiful. All the hard work has paid off, and we look forward to the feedback from the community.”
Darren Yuvan is a Trib Total Media contributing writer.
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