Visitors to Settler's Cabin Park soon might have a way to donate to the county facilities they have enjoyed.

When they rent a pavilion or shelter at an Allegheny County park, they will be able to add to their fee as a donation to the park.

"This would be the proceeds of anybody checking off they want to give a dollar or whatever more when they go ahead and rent their own park activity," said county Councilman Vince Gastgeb, R-Bethel Park, who presented the proposal. "The money that is checked off at that particular park would go back to that park because we have our Friends of the Park council already there."

Co-sponsoring the measure are council members Susan Caldwell, R-Plum; Bob Macey, D-West Mifflin; Matt Drozd, R-Ross; Jan Rea, R-McCandless; Micheal Finnerty, D-Scott; and Jim Burn, D-Millvale.

The money would go into a tax exempt fund, known in the tax code as a 501(c)3, that would be used for the enhancement of each of the nine county parks. The donor can claim a tax deduction for it.

The ordinance was sent to council's parks committee.

"It's going to be a long process to see how, legally, we can set it up, but I think it's well worth it," Mr. Gastgeb said.

Mr. Macey said the money might "add some enthusiasm" to Friends of the Parks committees, which have been quiet.

"Hopefully, having a 501(c)3 will give an opportunity for philanthropy and give people an opportunity to provide money," Mr. Macey said. "Maybe this will be a way to leave a legacy to themselves or to their family. I think it's a great idea."

Mr. Gastgeb said the legislation is separate from the move to create a larger countywide tax exempt foundation for the parks. That other entity was mandated in the ordinance that split the parks from the Public Works Department in 2003. Mr. Gastgeb said he had been waiting since then for the county to create the larger nonprofit to raise money for the parks.

His plan is that, once the larger fund-raising organization gets going for the parks, this smaller means to check off a donation when renting a grove, a field or a building will be a complement to fund raising.