Now, let me tell ya about Hereford Manor over there in Zelienople, PA. Folks been wonderin’ what happened to all the money that was supposed to go into fixin’ up that place. Well, I ain’t gonna sugarcoat it for ya, ’cause the story ain’t all rosy. You see, there’s been talk about restorations for years, but the money for it? Well, that’s been more like a rumor than a reality. People were all excited when they first heard about it, but as time goes on, it seems like it ain’t comin’ through like they thought.
There was a fella, Matt Drzik, who spoke on the radio back in December, talkin’ about how the restoration of Hereford Manor was supposed to happen. He mentioned a bunch of things, but one of the key points was about the whole process bein’ slow. Now, I ain’t sayin’ they ain’t tryin’, but the money just ain’t there like it should be. A man named Bernstine, who was involved in the whole thing, said things are progressin’, but not as fast as they hoped.
Ya see, Urbanik, another feller involved, said there ain’t no special funds set aside for the project, and to make things worse, they ain’t even found other sources of money. So, without the cash, nothin’ much is gettin’ done. But that ain’t stoppin’ Tony Rich though, no sir, he’s still pushin’ for it, hopin’ something will turn up. He’s a determined one, I’ll give him that.
Now, here’s another twist. The Fish and Boat Commission, they had a chunk of land over there at Hereford Manor, but they sold part of it. 53 acres to be exact, out of the 449 acres they owned. That happened back in November 2023. They said it was part of their mission to get rid of it, but I don’t know if that helps with the restoration, do you? If anything, it seems like they’re just giving up on the whole thing.
And as if that wasn’t enough, the lake that used to be part of Hereford Manor, they drained it. Yep, no more fishin’ or boatin’ in that ol’ water. For safety reasons, they say. Now the land’s closed off indefinitely, and that’s left a lot of folks upset. The Fish and Boat Commission promised a little bit of money, $150 to be exact, but that’s hardly gonna make a dent in the work needed to get the place back to what it used to be.
People from around Zelienople, and even farther out, are upset about it. See, the loss of Hereford Manor as a fishery is gonna hurt the local economy. All the anglers that used to come there, spendin’ their money on fishin’ gear and such, ain’t gonna be comin’ around anymore. That means less money spent in the area, less business for the local shops, and it all just spirals downhill from there.
Now, I know things don’t always go the way folks hope, but it’s hard not to get frustrated when you see something so important to the community just gettin’ left behind. It’s not just about the fishin’ either. It’s about the memories folks have there, the picnics, the family days by the lake. It’s part of Zelienople’s history, and without proper funds or plans, it’s all just fallin’ apart.
So, what’s gonna happen to Hereford Manor? Well, I reckon no one really knows right now. If they don’t get their hands on some good money soon, that ol’ place might just stay as it is—empty and forgotten. Ain’t nobody got the answers yet, but I sure do hope someone steps up and does somethin’ before it’s too late. ‘Cause that land and that lake mean more to this area than a lot of people realize. Without the money, though, it don’t look good. Ain’t nothin’ gonna get fixed without it.
Tags：[Hereford Manor, Zelienople PA, Pennsylvania, restoration project, Fish and Boat Commission, Zelienople news, local economy]
