- West Bethlehem's Fairview Park got a major facelift this week
- About 100 volunteers came together on Wednesday to finish the project on a strong note
- The multi-sport court is ready for use, but the playground needs to sit for three days
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — About 100 volunteers came out Wednesday to Fairview Park in West Bethlehem, volunteering through the afternoon for a “community-built” and “kid-designed” overhaul of the popular neighborhood playspace.
The park, located at 415-427 4th Ave., was in need of some major touchups, members of the community said.
'Kid-designed'
Students from nearby Calypso Elementary School back in May provided drawings of their ideal revamp of the space. People could also provide input online on what they wanted to see included in the new park build.
The new Fairview Park features updated slides, swings, a climbing wall and a multi-sport court with amenities for basketball, volleyball and soccer. The multi-sport court is available to use now, but the playground has to sit for another three days before use by the public, officials said.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provided Bethlehem with a $100,000 grant to fund the project, with city officials allocating a match of another $100,000 to bring it all to life.
100 volunteers on the last day
A three-day affair, the “Build Week” started Monday and Tuesday with volunteer shifts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on both days, focusing on site preparations. Volunteers came together from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today to complete the site and playground build, followed by a 3:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Many mayors were in attendance and volunteering on the day of the official build, including leaders from Easton, Pittston, and Reading, as well as Bethlehem’s own Mayor J. William Reynolds.
The work coincided with the 2023 Pennsylvania Municipal League summit being held this weekend at Wind Creek Bethlehem.
Reynolds spoke highly of those volunteering their time to make a positive impact on current and future generations.
A handful of members of the city zoning office were working alongside its director, Darlene Heller.
“There were people here today that were here all day long, not being paid, not asking for anything — just because they care. [It's] not just about themselves or their own families, about all of the young people here and the idea that we can build something that people will be able to use for a long, long time.”Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds
“There were people here today that were here all day long, not being paid, not asking for anything — just because they care,” Reynolds said. “[It's] not just about themselves or their own families, about all of the young people here and the idea that we can build something that people will be able to use for a long, long time.”
Privy to basketball after playing on the teams at both Liberty High School and the former Moravian College, Reynolds jokingly said it was his mission to make sure neighborhood kids didn’t have to experience double-rimmed basketball hoops.
“I grew up in Bethlehem, I’ve been to every playground; you don’t find any glass backboard on just about any basketball courts,” he joked with the crowd.
He joined a group of Nitschmann Middle School students for the inaugural first shots on one of the court’s new basketball goals.
'We just love being here'
Debra Hulse has lived in the neighborhood surrounding the park since 2007. She said she heard all the noise and music coming from the playground construction site this afternoon, and she had to come and check it out.
Growing up in the Bronx, Hulse said a neighborhood playground just across the street from where she lived made for a great time. Having fond memories of handball, shuffleboard and arts and crafts at her childhood park, she said she’s well aware of how a good park can impact a community in a positive way.
“I think it’s great for the neighborhood,” Hulse said. “The kids need somewhere to go and feel safe.”
Hulse said she and her grandchildren have frequented the park in the past, and her youngest grandson has enjoyed playing basketball there. Her niece, who also lives in the city, frequents the park with her kids, Hulse said.
“We come here to use the playground and swings. We play basketball, football, soccer, baseball, we ride bikes here, we bring our toy cars from home and we send them down the ramp by the steps, we even come here in the rain and play in the puddles. We just love being here.”Dan Williams, neighborhood resident
Dan Williams, a city resident living near the park with his wife and young son, said becoming a father has changed his perspective on the importance of local parks.
He said he and his family enjoy going to Rose Garden Park on the West Side and Sand Island Park on the North Side among others, but his son believes Fairview Park is “the” park.
“We come here to use the playground and swings,” Williams said. “We play basketball, football, soccer, baseball, we ride bikes here, we bring our toy cars from home and we send them down the ramp by the steps, we even come here in the rain and play in the puddles,” Williams said. “We just love being here.”
The mission
The project at Fairview makes for the 14th park build from project partners Pennsylvania Municipal League and KABOOM!, adding to the list of other parks already renovated in State College, Gettysburg, Lebanon, Harrisburg, Cranberry Township, Erie, Pittsburgh and more places statewide.
Higbee Park, also on the city’s West Side, got its own makeover back in 2010.
The nonprofit KABOOM! has a mission of addressing “playspace inequity” nationwide, with a goal of providing a new playground for over 300 kids each year.
“Playgrounds are an iconic part of childhood where kids collect some of their best memories and experience the countless physical and mental health benefits of play.”Lysa Ratliff, KABOOM! CEO
“Playgrounds are an iconic part of childhood where kids collect some of their best memories and experience the countless physical and mental health benefits of play,” Lysa Ratliff, KABOOM! CEO, said in a press release.
The Pennsylvania Municipal League aims to “strengthen, empower, and advocate” for local governments. Its summit is Thursday through Sunday in Bethlehem.
