With it’s primary trail head at the entrance to Wall Park, the Brandt Trail is a 0.93-mile trail running north to south, parallel with Sloop Road. Ending at Glen Manor Road, this out and back natural trail is meant for pedestrians only with a gradual elevation change and rough terrain in some places. Much of the work was completed by volunteers in 2023, with help from the Town’s Department of Public Works and the McCandless Township Sanitary Authority. Volunteers came from groups such as the Town’s Environmental Advisory Committee, Trail Pittsburgh and local Boy Scout troops. The trail is named after the Brandt family, who were past owners of some of the acreage the trail is built on.
You’ve probably driven by the beautiful gardens at the corner of West Ingomar and Ingomar Heights a thousand times. But did you know that garden is called Councill Memorial Park? In 1954, Edgar Bell Sr. and his wife, Ida, donated a v-shaped piece of land at the intersection of West Ingomar Road and Ingomar Heights Road to the Town of McCandless. Though the Bells were residents of Franklin Park, they donated the land to McCandless to memorialize Ingomar resident David E. Councill who died in a plane crash during World War II. In addition, his brother Colonel William H. Councill disappeared in 1954 during a flight between New York and Virginia and eventually the Air Force informed his family that he was believed lost at sea. Councill Memorial Park is a passive greenspace maintained by the Ingomar Garden Club and kept as a memorial garden.
Located right behind Town Hall on Grubbs Road, Devlin Memorial Park was the first park developed by the Town for active recreation. Originally built in 1979, the park contains a pavilion available for rent from April – November each year, a softball field, 4 pickleball courts, a sand volleyball court, a basketball court, 2 tennis courts and a playground. A quick walk across either of the 2 connecting bridges will take you to Lorrain Rogers Soccer Fields, the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center, a playground with sandbox, the UPMC Fitness Court and the Town’s raingardens.
So who was Devlin?
On January 8th, 1973, McCandless Police Officer Albert Devlin, was killed in the line of duty in a vehicle crash at the intersection of McKnight Road and Braunlich Drive in Ross Township while pursuing a stolen vehicle. Patrolman Devlin was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the McCandless Township Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons. In 2018, Town of McCandless Police Department started The Albert Devlin Officer of the Year Award, which recognizes an officer who goes above and beyond in the department and their community.
In 1984, the Town officially opened the soccer fields along Ingomar Road and named them after McCandless resident Lorrain Rogers. Today, this section of Devlin Memorial Park features a playground, sand box and the UPMC Fitness Court.
So who was Lorrain Rogers?
According to the Town Crier issue from January 1985, “to detail Lorrain Roger’s services to worthy causes would take a Town Crier issue to cover.” Born in Mankota, Minnesota, Lorrain Rogers graduated from nursing school in 1937 and moved to McCandless in 1964. While in McCandless, Rogers became involved in establishing recreational facilities, as well as served as a chairperson of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Recreation from 1975-1981. She was involved with many other community related organizations, including the Ingomar Garden Club, Women’s Guild at Divine Providence Hospital and the North Star Players.“Mrs. Lorrain Rogers…quite a lady, indeed!”
McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center
The Heritage & Cultural Center is a historical government entity operating under the Town of McCandless. It opened in 2017, and since then volunteers have endeavored to house, organize, and make accessible the historically valuable, original records pertaining to the Town of McCandless, the North Allegheny School District, and surrounding communities. The collection fills the center’s 2,000 square foot storage area. Exhibit and storage areas meet archival quality standards and the Heritage Center aims to inventory, preserve, and store these historical records.A visual assessment of the collection reveals: the most complete run of local school district documentation available to the public, unique scrapbooks from service organizations dating back to the mid-20th century, original historic photographs, family histories, and extensive clippings that chronicle the area’s history. Other items document the early oil industry and electric railroad system.Since its inception the McCandless/Northern Allegheny Heritage and Cultural Center has been a member of the Heinz History Center Affiliate Program (HCAP).
This short path along Pine Creek begins at the Vestal bridge and ends at Oakridge Dr. Jim Northrop has been maintaining parts of this trail for years and it’s a lovely stroll through nature at any time of year.
This 10-acre space has no facilities and no paved surfaces. In fact, it is not even located on a paved road. The park features a one-acre pond and two walking trails. The Town intentionally has kept the park undeveloped and meant for passive recreation only. The park entrance is located on the private section of Harmony Road (north of Ingomar). A parking area along Harmony Road leads to a footpath to the pond.
So who was Potter?
Jack and Delores Sarver (another familiar local name) bought the land that is Potter Park in 1955. Jack built the dam that created the pond and he brought in plants from his travels. The property was purchased by Robert and Janet Potter in 1975 and they donated the property to McCandless, establishing the first-ever municipal park in the township.
Dr. Robert Potter cared for three generations of families, and was known for the thousands of house calls he made in the area. Early in his career he joined the North Hills School District as school physician. He was an early practitioner in the area of sports medicine, taking extra training at Penn State University before the field became a specialty. As a result of his dedication to the children and athletes of North Hills, he is a member of the North Hills Hall of Fame.
Janet Potter was instrumental in establishing the first elementary school library volunteer program in North Allegheny and later was elected to and served ten years on the School Board. A memorial bench for the Potters can be found across the pond at Potter Park. Their contributions to our community go way beyond the property of the park.
Located between Pine Creek Road and Route 19, this primarily is the McCandless home of the Ingomar/Franklin Park Athletic Association. The land was donated to the YMCA by the Vestal and Roessler families in 1965. Decades later, the YMCA was looking for someone to take permanent stewardship of the land, which the Town did in 1991.Today, the park contains two baseball fields for mid-level play, one t-ball field and a concession stand. Although it is well-known for its fields, Vestal Park also contains a lovely nature trail. Additionally, the park is noted for its wooden pedestrian bridge which connects the parking lot on Pine Creek Road to the fields with the bridge carrying visitors over Pine Creek and natural wetlands.
Located on Sloop Road, Wall park features 2 tennis courts, 3 ballfields, a deck hockey and basketball court, pavilion available for rent, 2 playgrounds and the trailhead to Brandt Trail.
So who was Wall?
North Allegheny administrator James R. Wall (who was instrumental in founding and leading youth sports), this park was built on more than 7 acres between 1989 and 1990. Town Council leapt at the chance to create the Town's second active recreation park by acquiring the property. It was officially dedicated on July 4, 1990.Located on a triangular piece of land at the corner of Sloop and Rochester roads, this park includes two baseball/softball fields, a basketball/deck hockey court, a volleyball court and a playground. Just like the Town Hall park, it includes a pavilion that is available for rent.
