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Monday, 25 July 2011 10:40

Written by Diana Nelson Jones

There’s a big push in Aspinwall and surrounding communities to cobble together $256,000 before a Sept. 1 deadline to buy the Aspinwall Marina.

David Kushon is retiring from the family business, which has been at that location since 1959, and he wants to see it graduate from private to community use.

The Aspinwall Riverfront Park Project, spearheaded last year by Aspinwall resident Susan Crookston, has a groundswell of community support.

Read my story (which ran today) about all the fund-raising to match a $250,000 pledge by the Colcom Foundation. It kind of reminds me of the last scene in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” when all the good people of Bedford Falls pour into George Bailey’s house with their piggy banks to help him save his Building & Loan.

But unlike George, Aspinwall is not up against a malignant spirit (i.e. Mr. Potter). Aspinwall has a Norman Rockwell feel about it and the community's response to the call for pennies and dimes and dollars has a throwback sensibility that makes me feel better about the world.

One of the people who was inspired to help is 13-year-old Che Esch (pictured here), who has been mowing lawns for $15 — $20 for the bigger lawns in Fox Chapel and O’Hara — and giving all his earnings to the effort.

If your grass is in Che’s roaming area, get on his mowing list at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 412-781-3302.

You can also donate to the cause at the Aspinwall web site.

The plan would call for the marina to operate as usual but with public access to trails and other recreation. If you help Aspinwall achieve this, you can benefit once the trail through the property links to other trail legs that would stretch from Erie to D.C.

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