North Franklin holds community event to gain input on 90-acre park
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
North Franklin residents examine the proposed design plans for a new 90-acre park.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Mock-ups of what the North Franklin park will look like were displayed at Thursday’s event.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
A map of the proposed park, which will stretch over 90 acres in North Franklin
North Franklin residents got a look at the future of the community Thursday as the township displayed plans for a new park.
The township owns a 90-acre tract of land that runs from the area of Park Avenue to Sylvan Drive. Representatives from Philadelphia-based Port, the design firm contracted for the job, were on hand at the North Franklin Fire Company social hall to discuss the vision for the park.
“So it has largely been untouched by people for the most part; it certainly has been left undeveloped,” said Nick Jabs, an associate at Port. “Chartiers Creek runs through most of the site, and then there are two reservoirs … kind of two big ponds at the north end of the site. So overall this plan is a sort of framework or strategy for turning this property into a public space for the community.”
Jabs described the future site as offering passive, nature-based recreation.
“The principle feature is a one mile greenway that connects two ends of the site and also ties the site into the surrounding neighborhoods,” Jabs said.
They will also work to restore the waterways in the area, something Jabs said is part of their focus on “ecological performance.”
“We’re making sure that we’re cleaning the water to the greatest degree possible and preserving the important woodlands that are there,” Jabs said.
There will also be pavilions and water access. No concrete timeline has been determined for the park’s completion, according to Jabs. Port just finished work on the master development plan and will move into finding additional funding for the project.
The township has already received grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and will apply for additional grants. Bob Sabot, chairman of the North Franklin board of supervisors, did not have a final cost for the park, but said it will be in the millions.
“It’s obviously all going to be done in phases. The grants are going to have to come as well to make all of this work,” Sabot said. “The township has, I want to say, a half-million dollars now sitting in the bank in regards to what the parks and recreation commission turned over to the township.”
Sabot said he does not expect the project to affect taxes for North Franklin residents.
Residents who attended Thursday’s event were impressed with proposed plans.
Katie Hilderbrand said she knew there were plans for a park, but did not know what it was going to look like.
“I didn’t know the scope, which is awesome,” Hilderbrand said.
Hilderbrand said she was looking forward to having a local spot to enjoy nature.
“I’m just excited for other people to discover nature, and being one with it,” Hilderbrand said.
Sabot called the property a “well-kept secret” for North Franklin.
“This property has been eyed by township supervisors for years to possibly develop and make something nice for the community. When people move into the community they look for certain things. They look for the schools, which we obviously have. They look for park facilities.”