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CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP PARKS & RECREATION BOARD
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Present
| Parks and Recreation: | Chris Lawrence, Karen Schlichter, Sue Staas, Frank Beyer, Tim Hubbard, and Mary Lou Forcine. |
| Additional Visitors and Volunteers: | Kevin Kuhn, Laura Assayag, and Andre Calilhanna. |
Minutes for Approval
The September minutes were approved.
Old Business
ADA Access
Mr. Andre Calilhanna, President of the Phoenixville Area Soccer Club, said that the usage of the golf cart to transport a disable park visitor to a soccer field is sufficient.
Coldstream Road Parking
The Roadmaster should be posting parking signs this week and some boulders are being added, to control parking. Also, parking on Maryhill Road will need to be controlled by an ordinance amendment, per Mr. Kuhn. Currently, there is a sign restricting parking during certain times on Sunday. Unfortunately, this is now causing people to assume it is permissible to park there any other time. Mr. Hubbard continues to monitor the situation.
Friends of Charlestown
The IRS has approved the non-profit status of the group that will handle fund raising monies. Mr. Lawrence announced that they are now looking for volunteers to be board members. The next meeting will be about checks currently in possession.
New Business
Charlestown Park Report
Construction Update
Mr. Kuhn stated that most items on last month’s punch list are complete. Paving and parking lot painting are done. The restroom stone, roof, and siding should be done before Charlestown Day, but the facility will not be operational.
- Tomorrow there will be a walk through with the signage rep.
- Next Monday the electric should be done (80amps of exterior available).
- Next Tuesday will be a new punch list walk through.
- Swings will be hung and fencing down by Thursday.
The flag pole, ballard, and restroom exterior lighting, will be dusk to dawn, and the pavilions and parking lots will be lit from dusk to 11pm or midnight. The park will be wi-fi enabled sometime after the restroom is completed. A dozen benches are being pressure washed, and then will be installed.
Mr. Lawrence said Davey Tree will be removing a dead Norway pine near the announcer’s booth, and trimming a few dead branches. Mr. Lawrence may ask Davey Tree for the chips. They could be used in the park.
Park Projects for Scouts
Mrs. Staas said Mr. Theurkauf suggested Eagle Scout Max Stillwell add an additional beam or support to the trail bridge that he recently finished.
The Jack Kesti Trail, on Pickering Dam Road, has a new sign posted on the Township’s standardized sign. No one from the Township, or Parks and Rec, knows who has added this label, but since trail signage is standardized, it needs to be removed.
Mrs. Staas discussed ways to recognize the work the scouts put into the trails. She used to give the scouts aluminum tags to place on their projects, but none were ever put to use. Tonight the members decided that the recognition given at the Board of Supervisor Meetings, and virtual recognition, would be age appropriate and sufficient.
Mrs. Assayag said a Girl Scout had suggested the installation of a dog park zone at Charlestown Park. Members thought this would interfere with teams using fields, and a potential disc golf course, etc. Mr. Hubbard added that dog parks require much more maintenance than the Township is willing to provide. In addition, there is a well-established dog park just a few miles away. Mr. Lawrence suggested the Girl Scout organize an event such as Bark for Life.
Mr. O’Neil is looking for projects for scouts needing to do community work for badges. Mr. Lawrence said to keep the troop in mind for jobs like litter control or replacing dead trees. Other Eagle Scout projects could be identifying trees, bleacher work, and stream bank or buffer maintenance work.
The doggie stations need to be re-installed now that the Park is getting near completion. Boulders should be coming to help with stream erosion.
Charlestown Day Update
Mrs. Schlichter discussed the positive, continual interest she is receiving from vendors. The Members were assigned duties by Mrs. Schlichter.
Also discussed:
- Volunteers are trickling in
- 58 vendors have signed up
- Volunteer coordination
- Coordination of vendors.
- Signage posting
- Clean up and trash removal
- Pavilion bench placement by Mr. Detorre.
- Mr. Calilhanna is going to contact The Union to try to adjust their hours for the day.
- Friday- setup is at 3 p.m. and chair delivery
- Saturday-bounce units are delivered and setup by the company before 10 a.m.
Mrs. Schlichter will send Mr. Detorre her map for bench vs. vendor placement under each pavilion.
PASC Report
Mr. Calilhanna said the window project was done and he will be forwarding the invoice. He offered the Club’s help in any way on Charlestown Day, although there will be games going on all day. He suggested using an old Club sign to help with parking problems.
Lighting continues to be a problem, especially from the field walking to the parking lot. The lights on top of the clubhouse are not working. Mr. Kuhn said some Park safety lighting improvements may need to be made before the next phase of improvements is begun. But within the next three years, there should be new lighting, perhaps in spring of 2017.
Mr. Calilhanna said he is sending the Township the report of where his club members live, as stipulated on the lease. Mr. Pat Dowd will be resigning from the PASC after many years of benefiting the Club.
PMYC
No report. Mr. Calilhanna stated there is hockey being played on their fields at this time.
Healthy Kids Running
The second season is ending soon and has been successful.
Trails Report
Mrs. Staas discussed a meeting with 5 residents from Spring Meadows and Whitehorse Meadows. They discussed an equestrian trail easement that will connect to the Horseshoe Trail. The residents from the HOA’s had the following concerns.
- The amount and noise of traffic on the trails
- The actual clearing of the trails
- Liability (Mr. Kuhn addressed these questions)
- The necessity of riders to wear identity markers
- The need to keep the trail private, for Charlestown residents only. (This would mean the trail would not be listed on any map).
- The wetland area will not tolerate the traffic and will need protective measures for and from horse traffic.
Mrs. Staas and Mr. Beyer had hoped last month that once the vegetation died back in winter, there could be a work party to clear the trail. The next meeting will be to plan the next steps for the Township. Mrs. Staas is also to contact Mr. Warner regarding the Kesti sign change and the Stillwell bridge support.
Brightside Farm Park & Community Gardens
Mr. Kuhn said the Board of Supervisors is still concerned about liability and bee hives. Mr. Lawrence found a professional beekeeper that could come to a meeting. Mr. Hubbard said he had found a beekeeper that was actually keeping bees on a nearby township’s property. Mr. Hubbard will contact the beekeeper about talking to the Board of Supervisors.
Mrs. Staas said this year there were 7 empty plots at the garden, but there was a waiting list. Mr. Kuhn said there had been a communication and payment problem, and that the Township Office would be handling the deposits and mailings for the future.
Mr. Kuhn stated that the Board had just authorized Advanced GeoServices to perform the perk test for stormwater testing, so that the new trail could be started in the spring.
The Mill
Mr. Kuhn told Members that this Board was being tapped to get involved in the planning for landscaping, and assisting with the strategic planning, for the Mill. The Township needs to figure out how to best utilize this historical asset, and then Parks and Rec will be giving ongoing oversight.
Disc Golf
Mrs. Saunders provided Mr. Lawrence with maps to distribute at tonight’s meeting. She portrayed two different versions of a nine-hole disc golf course. Since there are a few holes that run along Township Line Road, Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Hubbard decided they will walk the course. Mr. Beyer and Mrs. Schlichter said the course idea worked well at the Park, since it already had scenic and challenging aspects from being a prior golf course. Mr. Kuhn stated there would be more room at Brightside Farm.
Other Business
Mr. Lawrence said next month, a representative was going to visit the Parks and Rec meeting to discuss the game call Stones. It would take place in the bocce ball area.