Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Recap

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum celebrates the grand opening of its Welcome & Education Center with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Washington, PA—The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum celebrated the opening of the new 21,000 square-foot Welcome & Education Center with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, November 9. The ribbon was cut in front of the Welcome & Education Center (Center) at 11:00 AM and remarks were made inside by elected and museum officials as well as community members. The event was sponsored by the L.B. Foster Company.

Speakers included:

Sen. Camera Bartolotta – Senate District 46
Rep. Jason Ortitay – Legislative District 46
Rep. Tim O’Neal – Legislative District 48
Washington County Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan – Chairperson
Washington County Commissioner Larry Maggi – Vice Chairman
Washington County Commissioner Nick Sherman
Chartiers Township Supervisor Frank Wise – Chairman of the Board
Dennis Davin, former Secretary, DCED
Johnna Pro, SW District Director, PA DCED
Jeff Kotula, President – WA County Chamber of Commerce and WA County Tourism Promotion Agency
Lou Waller, General Contractor

The Center is a key part of the On Track for the Future Capital Campaign to expand the Museum’s East Campus to increase programs and events. This campaign has been PTM’s most ambitious and successful to date, raising over $15 million dollars. “We are pleased to take this important step in a project that makes our Museum a major education and tourist destination in the region and thank the community for their wonderful support of this project,” said Scott Becker, Executive Director/CEO.

Completion of the Center is one of the final steps in the Museum’s efforts to develop the East Campus which also includes a 33,000-brick paved street, known as Volunteer Blvd, the beautifully restored Wexford Station, fountain plaza, family play area and gazebo, and improved parking facilities. Waller Corporation, a minority owned Washington, PA based business, was the General Contractor for the project; Desmone Architects provided architectural services, Gateway Engineers provided the site design and permitting, LLI Engineering provided construction management oversight for the project, and many volunteers also helped with the project. While many volunteers contributed to this multi-year project, special thanks and recognition is given to Larry Lovejoy who functioned as both the project manager and engineer. The building opened to the public on Friday November 10, 2023.

The Center greatly improves the Museum’s visitor experience and capacity to serve more people and a broader, more diverse audience. It houses the visitors’ center, interactive exhibits, a classroom, event rooms, offices, and museum store. The Center enables the Museum to properly display and interpret exhibits that tell the history of the Trolley Era as well as STEAM-related exhibits to educate and engage visitors of all ages. These exhibits include dynamic interactive and historical exhibits designed and fabricated by the Carnegie Science Center in consultation with Museum staff. The Center provides a dedicated classroom that further enhances the Museum’s educational programs and three event rooms that will be used for Museum programs as well as rented for corporate and other private events. The event room space features a large 8-foot tall by 15-foot-wide video wall in a theater area that will be used for educational films as well as for event rentals.

Funding for this project has come from a variety of sources including major funding from the Allegheny Foundation, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, other foundations, corporate and individual donations as well as in-kind donations of materials and services. Significant volunteer hours have been spent in administration, design, and construction. A Steering Committee of business leaders guiding the campaign include Campaign Chair, Ray Betler, Chairman of L.B. Foster and retired President & CEO, Wabtec Corporation; Laurie Andrews, Retired COO, Port Authority of Allegheny County; Leroy Ball, President & CEO, Koppers, Inc.; Al Biehler, former Secretary, PA Secretary of Transportation; Mike Fetsko, Group President, Freight, Wabtec Corporation; Christopher Golofski, PTM past-president (deceased), Jim Herrington, Private Equity Investment Officer, West Virginia Investment Management Board; Bob Jordan, Life Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer; Jim McQuade, President & CEO, Dollar Bank; Ed Morascyzk, Esq., Senior Partner, Morascyzk, Yarosz, and Morascyzk; Paul Overby, Interim President H & H SYSTEM, Inc. and German Honorary Consul, Pittsburgh; Jim Roddey, former Allegheny County Executive; Tom Rooney, Rooney Sports & Entertainment; Thomas Stockhausen, President, CDR Macquire (deceased); Bill Stout, retired President, Atlas Railroad Construction Company; Executive Director/CEO Scott Becker; Jeanine DeBor, Director of Annual Giving and Marketing; and Campaign Consultants, Teeter Associates represented by Natalie Nichols and Bob Teeter (deceased).

Below is a sampling of media and photos featuring the opening of the new Welcome and Education Center:

Photo credits: Kristy Capo, Washington County Tourism, PTM Staff

Watch the full ribbon cutting ceremony below: