Borough OKs Schweiker Park property acquisition
LANSDALE » A possible solution to parking problems on the border of Hatfield and Lansdale is another step closer, and could take one more step ahead in just a few days.
Lansdale Borough has now approved, and Hatfield is set to approve on Oct. 25, an agreement between the two to acquire a parcel of property adjacent to Schweiker Park.
“The challenge we’ve had over in the Schweiker Park area has been parking, and we became aware of an opportunity, a while back, of
a property that was for sale adjacent to the park,” said council President Denton Burnell.
Neighbors who live near the park have complained for years about problems with parking there, especially during baseball tournaments at the park, which is jointly owned and maintained by both Lansdale and Hatfield. Starting in September, both municipalities announced they had been in talks with the owner of a property between two parking lots adjacent to the park, and plan to convert what is now a grassy lawn into roughly 32 new parking spaces, which baseball visitors can use instead of parking on nearby Schwab Road or Wedgewood Drive.
“Right now, what they’re forced to do is go park along the street, or go into Wedgewood or other areas, and that’s obviously inconvenient for the residents who live in Wedgewood,” Burnell said.
“This is one opportunity we had to lessen the impact on the neighborhood residents,” he said.
Both sides have said the total cost of acquisition, planning and construction is estimated to be around $200,000, which will be split evenly between the two municipalities, and both have said their goal is to have construction done and the parking be available in time for the start of baseball season in spring 2018. In September, both municipalities voted to advertise an ordinance authorizing an intergovernmental agrement between the two, spelling out the details of the process, and Lansdale Borough Council voted unanimously on Oct. 18 to formally approve that agreement.
Hatfield’s commissioners will have the same agreement on their agenda during their Oct. 25 meeting, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Hatfield’s administration building, 1950 School Road. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.HatfieldTownship.org or follow @HatfieldPA on Twitter.