‘Sundaes’ visitors offer comments on park

SOUDERTON >> Comments and suggestions received from people at this year’s Concert Sundaes on the planned additions and changes to Souderton Community Park have been compiled.

Information on the plans for the six-year project are available at soudertonpark.org.

“The park renovations will add many new functional and aesthetic features, including restrooms, a kitchen facility, paved parking, new lampposts, pathway lighting, ADA landing areas along paths, sculpture gardens, playground and fitness equipment, and the refurbishment of many existing, much-loved park features,” the information says.

The Rotary is heading up fundraising efforts for the project.

The comments received show a lot of support for adding restrooms in the park, Borough Manager Mike Coll said while reviewing the comments with Souderton Borough Council at its Aug. 12 work session.

A number of requests were received to include a basketball court, he said.

There were loitering and other issues when the borough had basketball courts at the pool, he said, but there is a possibility of putting in a basketball court behind the borough office building. The police station is also in the borough building.

Other comments included ones about the shuffleboard courts, he said.

“It looks like as part of the project we will need to consider redoing the shuffleboard,” Coll said.

Although not included in the comments to the Rotary, Coll said, he has received requests that a bocce ball court be added to the plans.

Other suggestions include new lighting in the bandshell, he said.

Concerns were raised by some people about removing large trees from the park for the work, he said.

“We will have to take some of the trees for the parking lot,” he said.

There are also trees that have dead spots, he said.

The gaga pit will be moved to another place in the park, he said.

“The swing set’ll stay in its current location,” Coll said.

The plans include adding playground equipment for young children, he said.

Council President Brian Goshow said the comments show there’s quite a bit of interest in the park project.

There will be more discussion about what will be done next year at the park when the borough’s 2020 budget is discussed, Coll said.

BOB KEELER — MEDIANEWS GROUP Children swing during one of this year’s Concert Sundaes at Souderton Community Park.

BOB KEELER — MEDIANEWS GROUP From left, resident Adolph Jager, Souderton-Telford Rotary President Ed Brubacker and Leon Moyer, chair of the Rotary’s fundraising efforts for the planned Souderton Community Park improvements and additions, chat at a display about the plans.