Groveton Village in Robinson already was an example of the new thinking in public housing.

Like the nearby McKees Rocks Terrace and Ohio View Acres housing plans, Groveton had been torn down and rebuilt, with Colonial-style tan, yellow and white singles, duplexes and townhouses looking fresh and clean along neatly groomed yards and streets.

	Pam Panchak, Post-Gazette County Chief Executive Dan Onorato talks with Lailah Moyer, 5, of Groveton Village, after cutting the ribbon for the grand opening of the Groveton Village Technology Center on Aug. 9. Click photo for larger image.

Now, like McKees Rocks Terrace, which has become Meyers Ridge, and Ohio View Acres in Stowe, which has become Pleasant Ridge, Groveton boasts a pristine new community center, complete with a library, computer lab, meeting space, community room and play areas outside.

"This technology center is the realization of a dream," Lynn Bonner, president of the Groveton residents council, said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week. "Schools these days often require that students do research from the Internet. It is vital that our community have these resources available."

That they are available is because of federal Hope Six grants, which helped pay to rebuild the housing plans, which dated to the 1940s.

The authority teamed up with the county Department of Economic Development to build community centers or expand existing ones, and set money aside as an endowment to help pay social service agencies to run programs in the centers.

The three centers in the western suburbs are among 10 planned countywide, five of which are open. Most, though not all, are connected to public housing plans, but all are open to the surrounding communities.

County Chief Executive Dan Onorato helped cut the ribbon at Groveton Aug. 9, and toured the centers at Pleasant Ridge, which opened in April, and Meyers Ridge, which opened in 2004. He talked to children using computers and, at Pleasant Ridge, learning to hit golf balls. First Tee of Pittsburgh, which teaches the sport to underprivileged children, is a sponsor there, and has two golf simulators there.

The centers typically offer Head Start and day-care programs for children and life skills and job training classes for adults, as well as books and computers and safe places to hang out.

"Many of the households are single-parent, and children need a place where they can go, learn, do homework, be productive with their free time," county Housing Authority Executive Director Frank Agazzio said.

Ms. Bonner said she appreciated Mr. Agazzio's efforts.

"He never gave up on Groveton, from the building of the homes to building a space like this," she said. "We had a hard time getting over the tearing down of our homes, moving to get something better. But we got something better."