Borough Manager Announces Greenways Grant

Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline was the bearer of good news for those who hope to see the Tumminello property along Main Street become a functioning borough park in the not-so-distant future.

Kichline announced at Borough Council's April 18 meeting that Hellertown has recently received a $15,000 grant to fund "site improvements" to the 2.2 acre property at 30 S. Main Street.

The once privately-owned tract borders both the Saucon Creek and Polk Valley Run, and was approved for use as a park by borough zoners in 2009.

In other business, Kichline won council's permission to submit a grant application for funds to help cover the cost of a downtown streetscape improvement.

Kichline requested council's permission to use $3,000 from the borough's parks capital project fund as a match toward a grant that will help pay for benches in the downtown area or along .

During a discussion about the rail trail, Kichline told council members that Lower Saucon officials had suggested holding a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the trail's opening in conjunction with May 7.

Kichline asked for input from council on whether to proceed with planning a joint ribbon-cutting on that date.

"I think it will be a special moment," councilman John Bate said. "I think it's really important with the partnership that we do this."

Councilwoman Stephanie Kovacs also voiced support for the May 7 ribbon-cutting, calling it the "perfect time" to celebrate the opening of a recreational resource that has been years in development.

The only possible fly in the ointment, Public Works Director Tom Henshaw said, will be if the installation of a signal light at the rail trail crossing at Water Street continues to be delayed by poor weather.

Henshaw reported that the public works department finished putting down the trail's crushcrete surface on April 18.

"You've pretty much got the go-ahead to arrange (the ribbon-cutting)," Council President Phil Weber told Kichline at the end of the discussion.

Weber suggested scheduling the ceremony for 9am.