Township Of Pine: Veteran Supervisors To Retire

Press release from the Township of Pine:

December 1, 2021

Two veteran supervisors are retiring; we lost a considerable community advocate and added a new Township Manager.  Any one of these is substantial.  All three are monumental.  So, as our new manager says, “How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.”  

We will begin by saying goodbye and thank you to Supervisor Chairman Michael Dennehy and Supervisor Ed Holdcroft.   Michael Dennehy has been a Pine resident since 1993 and serving as a Supervisor since 2000; Ed Holdcroft spent his whole life in Pine and has been serving as a Supervisor since 2016. 

When I spoke with them about the changes they have seen, both described the Township as rural, with a lot of space and farms.   Mr. Holdcroft shared a story of when the first car dealership was built on Route 19; community leaders questioned why anyone would build a dealership “way” out there. Next came McDonald’s, and that was the beginning of what we see now.

Mr. Dennehy and Mr. Holdcroft met when Mr. Holdcroft served as Chairman of the local business association, and Mr. Dennehy was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors.   They had to work together to achieve responsible growth to better the community as a whole.  The focus was to continue commercial development while maintaining a beautiful residential setting that would become one of the most desirable areas in western Pennsylvania. 

Both Mr. Holdcroft and Mr. Dennehy had a common goal to grow the community responsibly while serving the needs of current and future residents of Pine.

With their goals in mind, the most rewarding projects the two worked on are supporting the growth of the Wexford Volunteer Fire Company and the Allegheny Health Network Health and Wellness Pavillion- now, the Wexford Hospital.  However, the project that brought the most smiles and stories is the Pine Community Center and Pine Community Park.  Mr. Dennehy and Mr. Holdcroft stated the development of the park’s open space, recreational space, and trails offer the residents a beautiful outdoor space to enjoy with family and friends.  The Pine Community Center has many of the same amenities only inside a beautiful building.  The Pine Community Center offers an indoor gym, walking track, and exercise options, including classes and weight machines, all for a nominal fee. 

In 2018, the Board of Supervisors approved the development of the Pine Community Splash Pad.  With a grant from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and additional contributions from Friends of Pine Community Parks, the Township Parks, and Recreation Department officially opened the Pine Splash Pad in 2020. 

This press release was produced by the Township of Pine. The views expressed here are the author’s own.