Charlestown Township Parks & Recreation Board Via Webex Thursday, March 18, 2021

Present

Announcements

The January minutes and February minutes were approved.

Ms. Beyer and Mr. Lawrence will be doing clean-up on the Pickering trail to get a head start on Earth Day activities.

Business

Trails and Earth Day

1. April 10^th (Earth Day) was decided to be a good day for trail work, running simultaneously with Earth Day activities.
   1. Pickering Trail needs focus on invasives and trail blazing. Mrs. Underhill has the paint needed for Ms. Beyer to start on blazing.
   2. McDevitt Trail has trees down and tires needing removal. Ms. Smith discussed the removal options with Mrs. Csete, Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Hubbard.
2. The participants will use common sense distancing and masks while removing invasives and/or performing trail work.
3. Mrs. Csete has not heard back from PennDOT regarding the closure for Coldstream Road’s roadside cleaning, but will keep Members posted. It will be done in 2022 if not this year. No children will be on road clean-up projects.

Wildflower Walk

On April 24^th, the Wildflower Walk will be taking place. Approximately 4 small groups can be comfortably escorted under current COVID guidelines. In past years, attendance has been between 2-25, so advertising just in the Newsletter and on the website should prevent an unmanageable turn-out. Mrs. Underhill thanked the EAC for helping her coordinate this day.

Charlestown Park

The PMYC was approached by the Boy Scouts wanting to repair a shed, but Mr. Lawrence felt this project was not suitable.

Activities:

• Pavilions will be open April 15^th. Mrs. Csete will begin taking reservations on April 1^st and expects to be very busy that day with requests.
• New state parameters for COVID-19 are expected on the April 1^st too.
• All residents will receive placards reminding them of state and county guidelines and rescinding possibilities if a spike occurs
• Non-profit groups need to provide Certificates of Insurance.
• A smaller pavilion request for tutoring classes has come in for June 28-Aug 5, 2021.
• There was much discussion regarding fluctuating guidelines, streamlining the process, capacities, etc.

Landscaping

• Mrs. Csete discussed the recent difficulty of getting tree work or a tree contract confirmed in the Township. She is in contact with the Solicitor. Mr. Buck suggested adding funds to the budget because as he walks the trail he sees many very mature trees that are dying.
• Mr. Lawrence will contact Charlestown Landscaping for removing some trees that could be mulched.

PMYC

• Mr. O’Brien is finalizing estimates to be discussed at the next Board Meeting.
• The lacrosse and rugby teams are starting at the fields next week.

PASC

• Mr. Maurer reported that some fields have been limed and portable restrooms are ready but locked.
• There may be a need for a trail cam. Trash left in the park at certain locations may initiate a discussion with the Universities’ security team.
• Teams start field use on April 10^th.
• Mr. Maurer has been working with an Eagle Scout candidate near the parking lot entrance (berm that separates the University from the Park). He plans on landscaping the gardens, for continuity purposes like PMYC beds, giving consideration to pollinator plants per Mr. Lawrence’s request.
• Mr. Lawrence will forward Mr. Theurkauf’s document about suggested plants to Mr. Maurer. Ms. Estes, of the EAC, will also be sending some suggestions.
• The spectator attendance will be increasing to 2 per player, but masks and distancing are still in effect.

Jenkins Park Proposal

Mr. Lawrence attended the March Board of Supervisors Meeting and proposed the preliminary ideas and sketch map for the 16 acres on Valley Hill Road. The feedback from this included the addition of benches, possible restrooms, an additional parking area, and a disc golf course. He is to return with a more detailed plan and map. Mr. Mount stated that the added parking could be in the rear. He like the idea of a natural paly area as opposed to playground equipment. Members discussed improved vs. unimproved trails and where each may be best in consideration for residents with limited mobility.

The next step is to research the possibility of needing to officially abandon a possible septic pit, since it was at one time, a homestead.

Brightside Gardens

Mrs. Csete will be contacting people on the waiting list to tell them more spots have opened up for gardening.

Some spots will be used as trial zones for new plants per Mr. Bucks suggestion.

There is a Master Gardener in the EAC that can help Mr. Buck per Ms. Estes.

The plan to reestablish milkweed for the monarchs is being formulated by Mr. Lawrence.

Mr. Buck see no progress on the fence until fall due to the following timeline. There is $24,000 in funding coming into this project.

1. Generating specs on the garden and getting it into bid form.
2. Finding the balance with haying and garden
3. The need to send the project out to bid, estimated at over $20,000.

Award of Plants to EAC

The EAC was awarded riparian buffer native plants for the Brightside area. Alix has been notified of this pending activity.

Adjournment at 8:40 p.m.