Charlestown Township Parks and Recreation Board
Great Valley Middle School
255 North Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA
Minutes of Thursday, June 18, 2015

Present:

Parks and Recreation Board: Chris Lawrence, Chairman, Pat Dowd, Phoenixville Area Soccer Club, Marylou Forcine, Sue Staas, Jim O’Brien, Phoenixville Marion Youth Club, and Kevin Kuhn.

Consultants: none

Staff: Lisa Gardner, Recording Secretary, Tim Hubbard, Property & Safety Coordinator

Call to Order:

7:30 p.m.

Minutes for Approval

The minutes for May were approved.

Old Business

  1. Charlestown Park

    Mr. O’Brien said he has artwork for the Township Line Road signs, as discussed in the May minutes. Image files will be forwarded to Mr. Lawrence for the soccer club and PMYC.

    Thank you to the Phoenixville Area Soccer Club, for returning the shovels left behind, to the PA Horticultural Society.

    Mrs. Forcine asked about the brick fencing structures, and they are being discarded.

    The bid request is online. Mr. Kuhn estimated about 15 people have logged in, but some are Township consultants.

    All bidders are required to attend the mandatory pre-bid meeting on Friday June 19, 2015 at 10 a.m. prevailing time at the pavilion area of Charlestown Park (100 Academic Way, Phoenixville, PA). The estimated cost of Park improvements, scheduled to be completed near 2016, is $1.7 million dollars. The increase is due to:

    • Increasing the pavilions from 3 to 6, therefore adding more grills etc.
    • Increasing the quality of the restrooms (such as adding electric)
    • Increasing the quality and amount of parking

    Mr. Lawrence said he had no update from the Roadmaster regarding the fencing bids but would contact him. Mr. Kuhn added that the fence poles are to be pulled out and not cut, since they have a cement base. Some of the fence is standing on the University’s grounds. Mr. Lawrence will discuss removal with them.

    Mr. Thompson is to move the picnic benches and Mr. Lawrence is to check if they are getting new wood decks. Former pavilion benches are going to the other parts of the park, since they are in good shape from being under the pavilions. The pavilions are getting new ones.

    Mowing is being done by Eric Davison, in attendance. Mr. Davison said the boundaries have all been obtained, and everything is being mowed except the playing fields. Mr. Lawrence is sending Mr. Davison a document by Mr. Theurkauf, regarding a mowing plan to prevent invasives and provide reseeding.

    Mr. Davison will remove the tent worms. He said the new trees would benefit from more mulch; but are being watered as needed. The few that were struggling are now looking good. There is an area on Cold Stream Road that is getting overgrown from Park weeds. Mr. Hubbard will tell the Roadmaster to call PennDOT, since it is a state road. Mr. Davison said soon the Township roadside mowing will begin.

    Pavilion plans can be compared with the 2012 Plan on the Township website.

New Business

  1. Nick and Spencer Stillwell were present to obtain the P&R’s suggestions for Eagle Scout projects.
    1. Clean up brush where the fencing is removed
    2. Repair stairs to soccer fields, eliminate erosion
    3. Repair benches in wetlands area that have been destroyed by vandals
    4. Pickering Trail boardwalk needs to be doubled near the wetlands
    5. Park tree identification and record keeping (40% are identified)
    6. Information kiosks at trail heads (Brightside kiosk in need of replacing)

    2. More ideas are to be sent to Mr. Lawrence via email. The Stillwells will meet with the appropriate members to view the areas discussed.

  2. The Parks and Recreation Board welcomed the new PMYC contact Mr. Jim O’Brien. Charlestown Day and construction/pavilion information will begin being forwarded to Mr. Dowd and Mr. O’Brien. Mr. O’Brien was briefed on the prioritization of improvements at the Park by Mr. Hubbard. The pavilions and playground being first due to safety concerns, then parking and field improvements. Future plans may address club facilities, storage needs, and lighting, etc.
    • Football starts September 19th.
    • It is the 60th Anniversary of the PMYC.
    • The PMYC may install doors on the “Starters House”.
    • There is a schedule in effect for trash pickup.
    • The PASC will have no July meeting
    • The PASC should have Snack Bar upgrade grant material for the Township by the spring of 2016
    • The football field will stay as is, and not be reoriented.
    • Original playground equipment will be moved to a location suggested by Mr. Dowd, near the snack Bar. (Mr. Lawrence will check the location for clearance etc.)
  3. The Homeless Awareness overnight event will not be held in Charlestown Park due to restroom limitations.
  4. Brightside Farm Mowing
    1. Oak Grove is too wet to mow
    2. Do not mow the picnic grove per Mr. Kuhn
    3. The lower area near Hollow Road is going to be mowed again. It has not been in recent years.

    The Township engineer is in the process of engineering the Brightside Trail for bid packages. This project is scheduled for 2016.

    There is a Butterfly Walk on August 2nd at Brightside Farm; information is on the website and in the newsletter. Saturday, July 11th is a trail work day.

    It was suggested not to approach the loose dogs seen at Brightside, they are not friendly. Mr. Davison believes they may be from the Valley Hill area. Mr. Hubbard will patrol the area to investigate. The situation was frustrating for Mrs. Csete, who tried unsuccessfully to obtain help from the State Police, the Game Commission, and the SPCA. All dogs are supposed to be leashed.

  5. The final report for the Rails-to-Trails project has not yet been approved for distribution. It will be posted on the Township website once approved.

Other Business

Mr. Lawrence will be available by phone for the next meeting.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.