Hatboro officials have received supplies for the construction of the plaza on South York Road. A dedication ceremony will also be scheduled.
HATBORO, PA —On the side of the auditorium of the Pennypack property Monday stood a wooden circle shape that looked like it could be the foundation for a Jacuzzi.
Next to it was a bench with two structures at each end that could be used as planters. And in the back of the room, more objects took up space on the floor.
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All of the supplies will be used for a lasting tribute to a man whom borough officials say should never be forgotten.
With the one-year anniversary of the death of Police Officer Ryan Allen recently, the borough will pay its respects to the fallen officer by creating the Ryan Allen Plaza. See the artist rendering below.
And as borough officials mentioned at Monday night’s council meeting, the supplies finally have arrived.
“It’s happening,” Cindy Bollendorf, the borough’s downtown development director, told the audience. “We will have a dedicated space for Officer Allen. But please be patient. We want to do this properly.”
With the borough’s public works department having a busy summer schedule and a car show coming up next month, borough officials are targeting a dedication ceremony for the plaza sometime in August.
Bollendorf said, though, that some plaza pieces may be installed here and there at the plaza, which will be situated by Joe’s Pizza and Produce Junction.
“We do have the plaque. It’s here. So stay tuned,” Bollendorf said.
Allen, a police officer since 2013 who was the borough’s K-9 officer, died on April 7, 2022, six months after having a heart attack following a freak bee sting incident.
Allen never had allergic reactions to bees and had been stung before. But in October 2021, he experienced an anaphylactic shock from a bee sting and suffered a heart attack. He never recovered.
Allen’s widow Whitney is trying to move on with her life. She’s written a 154-page book, “Running in Trauma Stilettos: A Raw Glimpse at Grief and Life After Loss,” that was released in late February. With the book, Allen is trying to share her grief with others so they possibly can move on too.
A benefit was held for Allen last month with the introduction of a new brew by Crooked Eye Brewery.
Hatboro officials said the plaza at 49 S. York Rd. comes courtesy of a nearly $40,000 T-Mobile Smart Growth America and Main Street America grant. A check presentation took place last April.
The plaza will include new benches, flowers, the plaque dedicated to Allen, new trash receptacles, and new sidewalks.
“I think Ryan really represented the best of our town,” Mayor Tim Schultz told Patch before the meeting. “He was a selfless guy who was engaged in the community. He spent a lot of time in our schools and was a great role model to our kids. His death was a real blow to the community. His passing was unfortunate, but I think it’s appropriate that we honor someone who really was selfless.”
(Borough of Hatboro)