Churchill residents protest against proposed Amazon warehouse

CHURCHILL, Pa. — Churchill residents are protesting against a proposed plan to expand Amazon to their neighborhood.

Community members were out front of the Churchill borough building Tuesday with signs before heading to the site of the proposed development.

“The proposal by Hillwood Development is of grave concern to me because of my children. We want to be lifelong Churchill residents, we bought our home 11 years ago, my daughter goes to Woodland Hills school district. Her school is less than 1 mile away,” community member Ruthie Rea said.

Hillwood, a Texas-based developer, is proposing to turn the vacant George Westinghouse Technology and Research Park into a 4.5-story, 2.6-million-square-foot Amazon Distribution and Logistics facility.

Across the street is where many live.

“Trucks. Cough. Cough. These hundreds of trucks every 2 minutes would be if this proposal is approved entering and exiting the Amazon site,” resident Sandy Fox said, concerned about the pollution the facility could bring. “We’ve got a lot of small lungs that could be damaged as well as adult ones. I have my inhaler here.”

If the proposal is approved it would bring more than 1,000 full-time jobs and benefits.

The planning commission will review the proposal next week and make their recommendation.

After that council will hold a public hearing.

“I hear my residents who are upset, I hear my residents who want it, I hear my residents who are concerned,” Churchill Borough Council President said Jay Dworin said. “Council is not the pro or con of this. We are not the yes or no. If there are people who are really for it and really against it we are neither of those. Council is here to listen and to hear all sides and to make a decision. That’s where we are.”

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