Memorial Plaque Honors Early Rail Trail Supporter

An early supporter of the Saucon Rail Trail has been honored with a memorial plaque at the rail trail kiosk in Hellertown's Water Street Park.

The plaque in honor of Carolyn Lidie was dedicated at a Sept. 20 ceremony attended by local officials and membes of the Saucon Rail Trail Oversight Commission, which Lidie helped organize.

Lidie, 62, died in November 2011.

A resident of Upper Saucon Township, Lidie was a member of the Upper Saucon Planning Commission, Environmental Advisory Council and Parks and Recreation Commission, according to Lower Saucon Township manager Jack Cahalan, who was cited in a press release about the event.

According to the release, current oversight commission president Roger Jurczak "said that with her expertise as a Penn State University Master Gardener and her love for native plants and butterfly gardens, Carolyn was the driving force behind the 'green' roof filled with succulent plants that covers the kiosk."

The Saucon Rail Trail, which runs north-south from Hellertown through Lower Saucon Township to Upper Saucon Township, opened to the public in May 2011.

An extension of the popular recreational path to Coopersburg is planned in the future, as is the construction of a trailhead near Reading Drive in Lower Saucon Township.