Just as Coach Fred Milanovich, Sr. was central to the success of countless students and athletes during his tenure as football and basketball coach at Coraopolis High School between 1945-1960, the Coraopolis Train Station was essential to the development of the town of Coraopolis upon its founding in 1896.
Thanks in large part to a significant gift made by the late coach's son and his wife - Fred & Linda Milanovich, Jr. - Coach Milanovich's legacy will live on through the Milanovich Center for Community Connection at the Coraopolis Train Station, creating gathering space for positive community activity, learning opportunities, and gatherings of all kinds. The impact of his life will spur economic growth and continue to transform lives in Coraopolis for generations to come.
The groundbreaking of the center was celebrated on Saturday, April 23rd with a press conference at the station led by Project Chairman and former Coraopolis Mayor Shawn Reed featuring guest speakers Pennsylvania State Representative Anita Kulik, former player and student of Coach Milanovich, Edward Elder, who went on to become superintendent of Center Area School District and President of PA Cyber Charter School, and Fred Milanovich, Jr. who spoke of his father's ties and fond memories of his time in Coraopolis.
Fred Milanovich, Jr. offered the following statement:
“In his later years my father’s conversation often drifted back to his days in Cory. Quite simply, he loved the community and cherished his experiences there!”
Through this support, the Milanovich family joins the train station’s dedicated individual donor
base and key partners including Congressman Conor Lamb's Community Impact Grant Program, the Allegheny Foundation, Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Keystone Communities Grant Program, and the Pennsylvania Cultural Infrastructure and Tourism Fund. The CCDC plans to launch a public capital campaign to raise the remaining funds for the project in late 2022 which will give an opportunity for local companies, individuals, and supporters to select various naming opportunities including pavers in the station's porte-cochere.
Coraopolis Train Station Construction Manager Ken Faux of Imperial Construction, PA State Representative Anita Kulik, Project Chairman Shawn Reed, Fred Milanovich, Jr., and Edward Elder.
Members of the Milanovich Family gathered for the press conference including Milana and Larry Milosh of Moon Township and Kristen Milanovich of Parkway West Career and Technology Center, among others.
Fred Milanovich, Jr. spoke about the decision to honor his late father's legacy and the impact the station will have once complete.