CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP PARKS & RECREATION BOARD 11 General Warren Blvd. Suite 1, Malvern, PA Thursday, August 16, 2023

Present

Announcements

There were none

Standing Items

Minutes

Mrs. Robinson moved to approve the June and July minutes. Ms. Kane seconded. Mr. Mount called for discussion and there being none, called the vote. All were in favor.

Youth Sport Reports

Mr. Mount will contact the PASC since there have been no recent updates.

Trails Reports

Ms. Kane said the Pickering footbridge was being measured for repairs. There are a few trees down and the one near the entrance is quite large. Mr. Ammerman will obtain supplies and a November 4 cleanup date was set. The rain date is November 11^th. Volunteers will meet at the trailhead near the dam. This will appear in the Fall Newsletter.

Mr. Ammerman spoke about being proactive in taking a position regarding eCycles and eBikes to protect the trails. The more fully motorized versions are hard on wet dirt trails. There are no standards nationally to refer to yet, so Mr. Mount will contact the Planning Commission. They tend to be proactive and may have some resources to help.

Charlestown Park Report

The Charlestown Park Report from Ms. Fox:

1. Local vandalism is on the rise, the Park has seen a tremendous rise in vandalism this summer.
2. She is doing site inspections about twice a week. She also visits before an event to assess safety risks, troubleshoot, and prep the site.
3. Trash receptacles are usually overflowing and trash is piled around the cans.
4. Trash receptacles are missing from their locations although they are very heavy and bolted to the ground. She finds some cans pushed into the facilities building.
5. There is one trash receptacle left per pavilion and by Charlestown Day she believes they will all be gone.
6. There is no trash receptacle in the women’s restroom. She often finds debris in the sinks and on the floor. A can was placed there for a concert and it was gone the next day. There was considerable vandalism and unclean conditions pre-concert.
7. The fence has approximately 30 spots where it is damaged to the point where some sections appear to have been flattened by a car.
8. Hornet nests were removed before a concert.
9. Faucets are left on after the sinks have been plugged, flooding the restrooms. Mr. Ammerman suggested replacing faucets with the older-style auto-shut-off faucets.
10. Pre-concert, there were no batteries in the soap dispensers, no soap refills, and no toilet paper in the dispensers.
11. The Park lighting wasn’t working before the concert. Ms. Fox was successful in finding the electrical box and restoring lighting and power for the event. Was this storm damage, a timer malfunction, or a broken sensor?
12. Exposed conduit in the pavilions is often used to hang party decorations, there is past debris hanging from the rafter. This is a safety risk.

    Mr. Koenig is aware of all these issues and has been with Ms. Fox during some inspections as has Mr. Heleniak. The following remarks followed the discussion:

    1. Mr. Koenig asks what is the repair budget at Charlestown Park.
    2. Mr. Koenig has been made aware of all these points, is prioritizing them, and will contact Mr. Heleniak.
    3. Mr. Koenig has links and ideas from Ms. Fox to remedy some of these points.
    4. Are there trash receptacles made that are the weight of the picnic tables? The cans need to be heavier or bolted more securely to the concrete.
    5. There needs to be better signage at the pavilions for pop-up parties that often include alcohol, drugs, illegal parking, and loud music. These interfere with Township sponsored events and rentals.
    6. How do local parks handle these issues?
    7. What is the time frame and placement of the security cameras?
    8. Is there a checklist for the custodian and do we need to increase the rounds per week?
    9. Ms. Fox was told to email or text Mr. Heleniak when she finds restroom damage.
    10. Do we need to amend the rules given to the pavilion renters?
    11. Is there a follow-up inspection before a deposit is returned?
    12. Residents that have reserved the pavilions may have difficulty with the people using their rented space. What is their recourse?
    13. The use of Reconyx-style cameras may be helpful if the security cameras at the Park are delayed.
    14. The next newsletter will contain a blurb about reporting vandalism at the Park.
    15. Ms. Fox wants something less temporary than yard signs (easily stolen), to advertise events.
    16. Add all these costs to the budget for next year.

Brightside Farm Report

Mrs. Robinson suggested the Park and Rec or an Eagle Scout takeover the kiosks if Mr.

Koenig and the Township Manager have higher priorities.

Old Business

Charlestown Park Repair List

This will be on next month’s agenda.

Charlestown Day

Charlestown Day points:

• The event will be from 11-3 pm, reduced by 2 hours. This helped the budget.
• Flyers were sent to P&R members.
• There is more food this year.
• There needs to be more trash cans, hopefully bee-tight, for less risk of stings and swarms)
• There are 2 entertainers instead of one.
• Bounce house, face painters, and great music is secured.

The 5K Color Run

This may be rescheduled for next spring.

PMYC Building Update

Mr. Mount stated that the proposed repairs to the PMYC building at Charlestown Park were approved by the Board of Supervisors since funds were included in the 2023 budget. The repairs are for the clubhouse building, including siding, doors, and windows.

New Business

Ms. Fox reported that the Charlestown Park basketball court is in a poor state. The court has aged and is therefore cracked and the lines are almost gone. In addition, vandals bent the hoop and removed the nets again. Mr. Mount suggests this be on the budget for 2024. He also is including the suggestion made at the July meeting to stripe the court for pickleball.

Mr. Mount stated that Mr. Wright is assembling a bid package to repair the Pickering Trail footbridge. Ms. Kane and Mr. Mount added repositioning the smaller foot bridges to the cleanup day in November. One of the smaller bridges is beyond repair.

Other Business

Mr. Mount reminded Members to submit their budgets. These budgets are likely to include trash cans, kiosks, and repairs at the Charlestown Park footbridge.

The next Park and Rec meeting will be Thursday, September 21st.

Adjournment was at 8:10 p.m.