Dormont Borough Council Recreation Board Meeting – August 19, 2026

The Dormont Borough Council Recreation Board met on August 19, 2026 to review the recent Easter Egg Hunt, adjust the 2026 Movies in the Parking Lot schedule, begin planning a new adult-oriented outdoor film event, and receive updates on the Dormont Dash and the borough's Recreation Plan Steering Committee. John was absent; Jesse Cook took minutes. Note: The agenda packet is dated April 13, 2026, which conflicts with the supplied meeting date of August 19, 2026; this summary uses the supplied meeting date.

Opening and Administrative Items

• The meeting was called to order, and attendance was taken. In-person participants included Patrick, Jesse Cook, Sarah Fox, and Amber LaShore, with additional members participating remotely.
• Approval of minutes was postponed. Minutes were placed in a shared file, but not all members could access it. Amber LaShore agreed to give access after the meeting, and the group discussed moving future minutes into Granicus with training for members.

Easter Egg Hunt Recap

• A board member who attended reported strong engagement: the borough's Facebook and Instagram profiles received about 3,000 additional interactions, and turnout was good despite the cold weather.
• A board member recounted that a family from Mount Lebanon said they attend Dormont's event because Mount Lebanon's event is chaos, with a shotgun start where everything is gone quickly and children are upset. The family's comment was described as validation for Dormont's staggered, calmer format.
• The board estimated there were 100 to 150 extra eggs, which was called the butter zone because better weather could have brought more families. There was positive feedback on egg and candy quality, supporting a higher-quality, lower-quantity approach.
• The raffle basket timing was not clearly communicated, causing families to wait in the cold. Members recommended announcing a firm raffle time, such as 11:30 a.m., in event promotions.
• Volunteers arrived too early. The board suggested moving the general volunteer start time back 20 to 30 minutes, while event leads should still arrive earlier to handle missing supplies or setup issues.
• The bunny arriving on the fire truck was a hit. The event's bullhorn or megaphone was missing, and a member offered to donate a spare bullhorn for the event supply kit.
• Roughly 10 boxes of leftover plastic eggs remain. The planned donation to a pantry was missed this year. A board member contacted Reimagined Recycling about recycling the number-five plastic eggs; if that organization cannot take them, another group may accept them for a one-time egg hunt.
• Ideas for next year included golden eggs with prizes such as 10 free pool passes or admission tickets, and seeking small donations from local businesses such as movie tickets or gift cards.
• The board agreed to create a thank-you card process for volunteers and community partners, including the fire department and football coach. Jesse offered to write thank-you cards.

Movies in the Parking Lot

• The first parking-lot movie, originally set for May 8, was moved to May 15 because Gold Mountain Music Fest needs the parking lot; the board agreed to update online promotion.
• Movies discussed included Zootopia 2 at 108 minutes and Hoppers at 105 minutes; John had flagged titles over 100 minutes.
• Concessions will be run by fifth graders. The board discussed adding food options and considered inviting Bottle Rocket, a local hot dog cart, to sell before the movie without competing with student concessions. A board member offered to contact Bottle Rocket about the May 15 screening.
• The start time was discussed as historically advertised around 8:20 p.m. or dusk.
• The board also discussed inviting an official animal education partner, such as the Pittsburgh Zoo or National Aviary, before a movie. Any such partner would need appropriate liability insurance and possibly waivers.
• Members agreed to create a shared volunteer spreadsheet so board members can sign up for events by date, needed staffing, and role.

Adult Outdoor Movie Event: Park After Dark

• Sarah proposed a grown-up outdoor movie at Hillsdale Park. Back Alley Brewing may sell beer from a cooler-style setup, and the library may offer concessions or prepurchased snack packs.
• The board preferred the name Park After Dark over adult movie night. They favored a Thursday date to avoid summer weekend travel conflicts and discussed late July dates, with July 23 considered as a primary date and July 30 as a possible rain date, pending logistics and partner availability.
• Movie candidates were 10 Things I Hate About You, Bring It On, Dirty Dancing, and Grease. The board leaned toward 10 Things I Hate About You and agreed to post a social media poll so the community could choose.
• The event would start near sunset; members noted sunset around 8:43 p.m. on the proposed dates and discussed an approximate 8:30 p.m. start time.
• The board discussed screen placement, power access, and space in Hillsdale Park, and agreed that parks staff should assess feasibility before finalizing setup.
• The borough's noise ordinance allows noise from public recreational uses between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., so the movie should comply, but members still wanted to notify neighbors in advance.

Yoga, Story Stroll, and Other Agenda Items

• Yoga in the Park's start date remained unresolved; a board member was to check with Kirsten and the instructors. Story Stroll was not discussed in detail.
• Trunk or Treat, the Street and Music Festival Kids Zone, Cookies with Santa, and Holiday Lights appeared on the agenda but were not discussed in detail before adjournment.

Dormont Dash Update

• Organizers reported that Dormont Dash planning is moving well, with medals chosen for the next three years and t-shirts largely staying the same. The event is scheduled for August 30.
• KOEA will send representatives, and a Doodle poll will be sent to schedule the next Dash meeting. Sponsorships are opening, and board members were asked to solicit companies and community contacts.
• Prize baskets will be handled as door-prize raffles tied to registration, not pay-to-enter raffle baskets, to avoid requiring a small games of chance license.
• Day Camp's run club kids will receive free registration, and the Historical Society is sponsoring again.

Recreation Plan Steering Committee

• The committee is helping the borough identify and select a firm to create a recreation-specific plan, separate from the existing parks plan. Work on the request for proposals is underway, with a goal of selecting a firm by the end of the year.
• The planning process will include focus groups, surveys, and conversations with borough leaders and residents. The Recreation Board may be engaged in late summer or fall.
• Members discussed expanding recreation beyond youth and family programming, including adult and weekday uses of the rec center, support for block parties, and existing community assets such as Back Alley Brewing's live music and Dormont Arts events at Potomac Station Coffee House.

Key Outcomes

• The minutes were not approved; approval was deferred until members can access the shared file and Granicus training or access is arranged.
• The May 8 parking-lot movie was moved to May 15.
• The board reached consensus on the concept for Park After Dark, an adult-oriented Thursday outdoor movie in late July, with July 23 and July 30 discussed as event and rain-date options, pending partner confirmation and parks staff review. A community poll will be posted to select the film.
• The board agreed to create a volunteer sign-up spreadsheet and a thank-you card process for event volunteers and partners.
• Dormont Dash updates were accepted, including medal selections, the fundraising and prize-basket approach, and sponsor outreach.
• No formal roll-call votes were recorded; decisions were made by consensus, and the meeting was adjourned by motion.