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Charlestown Township Parks and Recreation Board
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Present:
Parks and Recreation Board: Chris Lawrence, Chairman, Pat Dowd, Phoenixville Area Soccer Club, Karen Schlichter, Marylou Forcine, and Paul Hogan.
Consultants: none
Staff: Lisa Gardner, Recording Secretary, Tim Hubbard, Property & Safety Coordinator (arrived at 8:15 p.m.).
Call to Order:
7:35 p.m.Minutes for Approval
The minutes for April were approved.
Old Business
- Charlestown Park
Earth Day week was a success. Shovels left behind by the PA Horticultural Society have been located by Mr. Dowd. Mr. Lawrence will contact the PHS.
Phoenixville Area Soccer Club’s last day, per Mr. Dowd, is May 30th.
Fencing bids are in. Melchoirre may be the lowest bidder. Details are still being finished, but the fence is not being reused due to cost. It will be recycled.
The fireplace pavilion will be demolished June 1st and it has been posted.
Mowing was last done by C.M. Jones. The next mowing will be done by Eric Davidson, (current mowing contractor). C.M. Jones will be the backup for mowing. Mr. Lawrence will contact Mr. Brad Sedor about mowing the soccer fields, they are not to be mowed by Davidson.
Pavilion bids will be going out shortly per JD Bravo. Members discussed materials to be used, gutters, and parking lot appearance. Stormwater from the pavilion area will flow underground to the pond area. Pavilion area discussion focused on:
- Asphalt or tin roofing
- Wooden framework
- Stone façade for the bathrooms
- Stone sign structure.
- The portable bathroom contractor may be contacted about a cleaning service for the newly built restrooms.
Electric-Underground service information, within a 100 yard area, of the newly addressed 100 Academic Way, was requested by PECO. Mr. Lawrence asked for responses from the soccer clubs. He is trying to reach the Phoenixville Area School District for PA One Call information.
Art work is requested from the clubs for signs at the entrance on Township Line Road. Mr. Lawrence will email the sign’s design to members but is unsure the sign needs to be two-sided.
People using the current playground are requesting many swings, and there will be two different age appropriate tot lots. Drinking fountains need to be confirmed.
Mrs. Csete is to let everyone know detail for the next JD Bravo meeting. Mrs. Assayag and Mrs. Forcine will cover for Mr. Lawrence and/or Mrs. Schlichter, if they cannot attend meetings.
Mr. Lawrence replaced a basketball net, because someone had said they were in disrepair.
Mr. Cabot has repaired the sign that was knocked down this winter.
Picnic benches will be replaced, removed, and relocated as needed. Members marked suggested locations on a map, but need to wait until the construction begins, and the fencing is installed, to see exactly where things can be. There are also benches on the trail, and near the basketball court that need repair.
More trash bins and recycling bins will be needed.
- Earth Day Week Review
50 trees were planted and are being watered. Only 1 or 2 look a bit “behind” the rest. The PA Horticultural Society said they can be replaced for $25 each.
The Penn State Pollinator Talk with Nancy Gaspari had low attendance but she gained some referrals. Certification as a Pollinator Municipality is being worked on by Phoenixville. The federal government may provide future funding or grants for pollinator projects and pollinator education.
New Business
- Charlestown Day
Great Valley Nature Center is the new beneficiary for 2015. The contact’s name is Christine. A packet is going out in a few weeks for sponsorships and also getting posted to the Charlestown Day and Township websites. Many things are the same as last year, the 5K has the same organizer, the route is the same, the soccer/Philadelphia Union will set up on the football field the same way, etc. There is a Plan A and Plan B for parking due to construction, vendors may use the basketball court to set up. Mr. Hubbard will contact PMYC and Mrs. Schlichter is assuming the Valley Forge University and the Phoenixville Technical School will assist again this year, but they will have fewer responsibilities. She will be preparing the PennDOT Highway Occupancy Permit, using 6th Avenue as the 5K/Park’s address, since Google has not yet updated Charlestown Township’s Park address to 100 Academic Way.
The next meeting is June 24th at the Great Valley Nature Center.
- Trails
There is a current newsletter out called Spring Trail Walks and Activities
- Rails-to-Trails Update
The feasibility study’s formal design is done and has been circulated internally. Next, it will be posted to the website, then Mr. Churchill and other committee members will visit surrounding townships to get them interested and involved. There will be an application for state funding and grants for acquisition of the right of way from Norfolk Southern.
- There are costs to the railroad for both the liability and demolition of the unused rail-line.
- Even so, in the past, acquisition has been costly and difficult.
- Hopefully, with a new president for Norfolk Southern, a better working relationship can be established.
- The project could be allowed to use the line freely until the railroad needed it again or the sale/transfer of the land would be more charitable or less expensive.
Other Business
Mr. Hogan stated the Charlestown Township Park Nature Trail is sometimes neglected. He has received Board approval in the past to hire 2 workers that clear the trail. He also has wood shavings put down, so he will bring more shavings.
Mr. Kuhn was checking on the benches for the deck area. Mr. Lawrence has not heard anything about this.
The Boy Scouts may be the group to identify the plants or trees in the Park.
Mr. Lawrence will not be able to attend the July meeting.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at 8:35 p.m.