Kennywood to reopen after politicians push for more security
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) — There are just 11 days to go until the sounds of screaming thrill seekers once again fill West Mifflin. Kennywood Park will open for its 125th season with security unlike any year before.
KDKA-TV's Meghan Schiller watched as crews spent countless hours reinforcing the fence barrier between Kennywood and the outside world on Tuesday.
"We spent about an hour, and we walked the facility -- and magnificent upgrades," said state Sen. Jim Brewster, a Democrat representing the 45th District.
Brewster toured the park Tuesday, checking out the security upgrades made over the past eight months.
"Some of it was fencing -- the inability to put anything under the fence, they fixed that problem. The camera work, the entrance has a sophisticated metal detector so you can go through and they'll see what you have," said Brewster.
District Attorney Stephen Zappala questioned the park's safety last month, saying he'd block opening day unless the park made the fixes his office suggested.
It all comes after a shooting inside the park last fall injured three people. Police eventually arrested a 15-year-old boy, but the charges were later dropped and there have been no other arrests in the case.
"It's not something to be taken lightly and we have to remember that the reputation of how we handle bad events spreads and people will develop an attitude about it's not safe or it's safe," said Brewster.
Kennywood says it immediately acted, increasing its police presence and implementing a chaperone policy and new security features.
"It was my belief that Kennywood and the district attorney's office would come together, and they have done that."
Neither Kennywood nor the district attorney took up Meghan Schiller's offer for an on-camera interview, instead pointing to the joint statement.
Kennywood tells KDKA-TV it will be working closely with state police going forward.