Thursday, August 10, 2006

By Brian David, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

For Lynn Bonner, the opening of the Groveton Village Technology Center was the realization of a dream.

Ms. Bonner, president of the residents council at the Allegheny County Housing Authority development, was near tears yesterday as she thanked those involved, standing before an overflow crowd in the sparkling new community room in the $1.1 million center.

"For the children of Groveton it is almost crucial that they have access to computers and technology," she said, "in order for them to be just on an even keel" with other pupils.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato cut the ribbon on the technology center, the fifth of 10 planned countywide. He then led tours of two of the others, Pleasant Ridge in Stowe, which opened April 24, and Meyers Ridge in McKees Rocks, which opened in 2004.

The centers are a combined effort of the housing authority, the county Department of Economic Development, the county Department of Human Services and various service agencies that provide the programming.

"We got them all together, talked about how to team up and get this done," Mr. Onorato said. "If the county doesn't step in, these buildings don't get built."

The Groveton center has a small library with six computers and offices for the residents council along with the community room, a playground and a basketball court.

It will house Head Start and other children's programs, a food pantry and a variety of educational programs for adults.

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