Greensboro native discusses art, recreation possibilities in the Mon Valley
In his native Greensboro in southern Greene County, arts and recreation supporter Shane McManus is making an economic splash that he believes can also lift other Monongahela River communities in the Mid-Mon Valley.
McManus, a member of the Greensboro Pennsylvania Art Cooperative, a community development organization with its biggest ties to arts and recreation, discussed his group’s efforts during the quarterly meeting of the Mon River Valley Coalition, held last week at California University. The purpose of the meeting was for the Mon River Valley Coalition to review the programs and projects completed and determine the objectives in the new year.
“I think we can all learn from each other’s successes,” McManus said. “We measure our successes in small amounts. We often overestimate what we can do in a year, and we underestimate what we can in 10 years.
“We can measure our successes by our peers, and that’s important for our community. We’d like to continue those conversations with those Mid-Mon Valley communities,” he continued. “What happens upstream will happen downstream. All of the great things Pittsburgh has done I’d like to see that for Charleroi and Monessen and Monongahela — keep the people coming.”
McManus said the cooperative has a business plan and goal to spread the knowledge of the Greensboro and the Mon River Valley.
“We can be a positive pillar with other communities to build and develop the area,” McManus said. “The cooperative is focusing on developing recreation and the creative arts sector. That includes woodworking and ceramics. We have a print studio. We do still work, stained glass.”
The intiative in Greensboro began when the town’s mayor, Keith McManus, Shane’s father, purchased four historic properties in the community in 2010, kickstarting the cooperative. Keith McManus is a cooperative member and rents space for artists at favorable rates.
“We encourage the musical arts,” Shane McManus said. “It really brings in those outside dollars into our community. They see our little valley and fall in love and want to come back.”
And he is carrying that energy to the Mid-Mon Valley. Shane McManus said the cooperative has worked with California University’s arts community.
“Our community is a community of young folks who want to see a better world,” McManus said.