Dingman makes time and a place to play

DINGMAN - When construction begins in the spring, Dingman officials say it will mark the birth of the first active recreational area in the township. While the township contains almost 8,000 acres of state forest and game lands, much of it is off limits to use other than hunting and fishing. The new park will contain approximately 103 acres of active recreational area. As shown on the site master plan, prepared by Mclane and Associates, Inc of Scranton, the area for the park consists of steep terrain, rocky slopes, wetlands, as well as a lot of flat ground which will be used for development. With all of this in mind the park will contain three baseball fields, two basketball courts, three playgrounds, a restroom/concession stand, football field, soccer field, picnicking, hiking, camping, sledding area, and parking for 171 cars in four areas. The park is bordered on the west and north by Dwarfs Kill Creek, on the east by Gold Key Lake Community, and on the south by Log Tavern Road, where two access roads are planned. “We are going to seek bids for the preliminary job of leveling in early March and expect this work to be started by April or the beginning of May,” said Tom Mincer, Dingman Township supervisor. “The overall cost for the project was expected to top 3.2 million dollars but I believe it will come in considerably less, maybe about 2.5 million dollars with most of the park expected to be completed by the end of 2007,” Mincer went on to say. The township is expecting to receive grant money from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as several private foundations and hopes that this will be about 50 percent of the funding necessary. “By the end of summer 2007 most of the parking and bleachers will be completed, the grassy areas planted and should be ready for the 2008 spring season,” reported Mincer. The township is expecting to hire just one additional highway department employee to maintain the park up to township standards. The leagues are expected to do volunteer maintenance work as well. Letters of support have come from the Dingman Flag Football League, Fall Couples’ Softball League, Pike County Women’s Softball League, Eastern Pike Soccer, Challenger Division Little League, Dingman-Delaware Little League, Delaware Valley Baseball League, as well as Pike County Commissioners and other local area townships. “I actually started working on this project seven years ago and it is not just for the kids. It will also provide a safe environment for adults and seniors who are expected to use the many fitness trails. There will be “fitness stations” along the trails for stretching and exercising,” Mincer told the Courier. Mincer continued, “The park is necessary as the demographics of Dingman Township continues to grow with younger families and more children than was the case when I first moved here 18 years ago.”