As borough mulls garage replacement, Jr. Devils fear losing practice field
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Bicentennial Park in Shenandoah, seen on April 4, 2026.
SHENANDOAH – As borough officials continue to explore options to replace what they called a rat-infested, ill-equipped garage, fears remain that recreational areas could be targeted.
Shenandoah Borough advertised for bids last week for a post-frame municipal garage building with a second-story office and storage area on Herald Road.
While the current garage is at the west side of Bicentennial Park, borough officials haven’t ruled out using any other portion of the park, including the field on the eastern side of the park.
That field is used by the Shenandoah Jr. Blue Devils football and cheer organization. They say scheduling constraints at the school district, with the addition of the soccer teams, only allow them to use facilities there on gamedays.
“Building a municipal garage in the park would not only rob the Shenandoah Jr. Blue Devils of a place to train and grow, but it would also deprive all the kids in our community of a vital green space and this is more than just an open space it is a cornerstone of our community,” Charles Hughes, vice president of the Jr. Blue Devils, said in a petition which has 269 signatures as of Tuesday evening. “For years, this open space at the Bicentennial Park had provided a safe and accessible place where kids can participate in sports, to learn teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship, build friendships and stay physically active.”
“The proposed garage would eliminate the field these programs depend on,” Hughes added. “With limited space already available, this loss would force our league to cut participation or shut down entirely.”
Borough Manager Mike Cadau told the Sentinel Tuesday afternoon that plans are not yet set in stone for a new garage and whether it would be where the current garage is or elsewhere. He said there are “still a lot of options on the table.”
He emphasized that the project remains in an exploratory phase and added that he is committed to “coexisting” with the Jr. Blue Devils, including saying that, if the garage moves to the east side of the park, the former footprint of the garage will be restored to serve as greenspace and a field for the team.
“There’s no way in hell I would let kids go without a place to practice,” Cadau told the Sentinel, noting that he, too, passed through the organization as a kid.
The current garage, built in 2006 to replace the longtime garage on South Jardin Street, is rat-infested and without running water, Cadau said. The rodents, he said, are “virtually impossible” to control. The condition of the garage, he sad, has caused damage to equipment and, thus, added costs to taxpayers.
Bids for the garage are due Tuesday, April 14 and are expected to be voted on at the Monday, April 20 borough council meeting. That is set for 7pm at borough hall.
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