By Amanda Ensinger
Staff Writer
At a recent Prairie Township meeting, township officials discussed some big events coming up this summer for local residents.
Prairie Township Assistant Fire Chief Allen Scott discussed the annual Prairie Township Firefighter’s Association fish fry and upcoming anniversary.
“The annual fish fry will take place from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29 at Station 241, located at 123 Inah Ave.,” Scott said. “This year will be extra special because this is the 70th anniversary of the fish fry and the 75th anniversary of the fire department.”
In celebration of these milestones, the Prairie Township Firefighter’s Association will have a few new activities to commemorate these anniversaries. Among the new activities taking place this year will be a beer garden at the fish fry and new menu items.
“We also will be having a reunion of those that have worked at the fire department throughout the 75 years,” said David Donofrio of the Prairie Township Firefighter’s Association. “This includes volunteer firefighters, dispatches, first responders and township officials.”
The association recently released a commemorative coin celebrating the anniversary of the fire department. The coins cost $10 and can be purchased via the firefighter’s association or at the fish fry.
The fire department also has several other programs planned this summer to support the community.
“We are planning on doing the popular Reading with the Firefighters program again, as well as a backpack drive,” Scott said. “The goal of both of these programs is to give back to the community and continue to enhance Prairie Township.”
Set dates have not been announced for these events, but more information will be released later this summer.
In other meeting news, leadership discussed plans to open the Galloway Road Sports Complex in late summer or early fall.
“We had a really wet spring so that washed some of the grass seed away, but we think we will have some fields established by this fall for soccer,” said James Gant, director of the Prairie Township Community Center. “However, since the grass will still be so new, we are only going to offer soccer for younger kids and not older kids, just so we can protect the grass and give it more time to grow.”
The 111-acre complex, when fully complete, will feature baseball fields, soccer fields, a walking trail and a fishing pond. Completion will take place in phases, with phase one already complete and phase two currently underway.
The township will also be offering a fishing program at the complex in late June, giving participants the first chance to explore the property. During that program, the fishing pond, as well as the walking trail will be open.
Gant also said the community center is postponing the community garden for the township.
“That is on hold for right now; we want to finish one project before we take something new on,” Gant said. “This will probably be a little further down the road. We need to finish the Galloway Road Sports Complex first and open that great community complex.”
The township has been considering adding a community garden to a portion of the 20-acre property it owns at 161 Cole Road. The garden could include selling plots to residents to grow their own vegetables and eventually offering classes on gardening through the community center.
For more information on events in Prairie Township, visit www.prairietownship.org.
