Township park is a go for next year

DINGMAN — Phase 1A of the long awaited new Dingman Township park will be underway in next spring. “Phase 1A is expected to be completed in 2009,” said Landscape Architect Thomas McLane of McLane Associates at a recent meeting of the Dingman Township Supervisors. McLane Associates of Scranton specializes in landscape architecture and recreational planning projects. Phase 1A includes one of the park entrance roads, a 50-car parking lot and one of three baseball fields. Future plans call for a soccer field, two basketball courts, a football field, 90 more parking spaces, four playgrounds, a concession stand, two pavilions, walking trails, a sledding hill, two restroom areas and a picnic area. Township Supervisor’s Chair Tom Mincer had concerns over what Phase 1A actually entailed. According to McLane it doesn’t include a planned second ball field or a concession stand, but much of the grading and grass seeding will be done so the areas in question will be ready for future construction. Phase 1A doesn’t include as much as expected which made it easier to get funding for the project according to township secretary Karen Kleist. “The concession stand is very important since it will be used by the leagues to bring in money,” said Mincer. Some future planning has to be made to take in to account any septics the park will require as well as how and where electricity will be brought in. “We’ve secured funding for the first phase which constitutes a minimal amount of work and there is another grant pending,” reported Kleist. Specifications for additional construction items such as bathrooms, concession stand and additional ball fields are already in the plans along with estimated costs. Requests for bid proposals are in the works. “We’ll do the best we can and as long as we don’t get tied up by some of the governmental agencies that issue necessary permits we’ll be right on schedule. McLane told The Courier completion of the $3.7 million park project is three to four years away.