PALMER TOWNSHIP, Pa – Palmer Township has put in an application to be awarded a fall grant by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).
DCNR announced fall grants that would allow awarded applicants to plan, design and implement park and recreational trail improvement.
- Palmer Township has put in a proposal for a grant that would allow the township to beautify and implement trail improvements
- The township board along with its Parks and Recreation program have felt the 9/11 trail would benefit from such grants if awarded
- The national 9/11 trail was designated a memorial trail in October 2021 by the Biden administration with unanimous vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate
Connecting 9/11 Trails
The September 11th National Memorial Trail is a 1,300-mile system of trails and roadways that link sites associated with the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
It was designated a national memorial trail under President Biden’s administration in October of 2021 by a unanimous vote of the United States House of Representatives and Senate and by Presidential Signature.
The portion of the trail Palmer Township contains runs west to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa. and south to Washington D.C.
Part of the Northampton County Two Rivers Trailway and Palmer Bikeway Trail, which runs through Penn Pump Park and Mill Race park in the township, are also part of the national 9/11 Trail.
After considering which of its parks would benefit the most, the Palmer Township Board of Supervisors, along with the Palmer Township Parks and Recreation, Public Services, and Planning departments have sought to improve the portion of the national 9/11 Trail that runs through the area.
“Speaking on behalf of the departments here at Palmer, parks and trails have always been a big part of our lives, even more so after 9/11 and COVID,” Kent Baird, director of Planning for Palmer Township said. “We feel really lucky to be working for a community that takes pride in the upkeep and improvement of its parks and in its role as host to such an important trail system.”
Trail upgrades
Baird said if the township wins the grants, the trails could receive Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) accessibility designs and beautification implementations like new signage and trail improvements that could make the trails a more impactful experience for residents and visitors.
“Palmer Township residents are deeply connected to their local parks and for many years led the way in trail planning and development. With luck, Palmer will win the grants it needs to bring the two topics together,” Baird said.
Baird said the grant will also help the Palmer Parks and Recreation Department plan and identify community desires, design needs, and costs of improving and maintaining recreational facilities with help from planning, design, and engineering consultants.
“Palmer Township residents are deeply connected to their local parks and for many years led the way in trail planning and development. With luck, Palmer will win the grants it needs to bring the two topics together."Kent Baird, Director of Planning, Palmer Township
Baird said that the grant is unique in that typically the DCNR doesn't hold fall grant rounds. The grant was made possible due to a one-time allocation from American Rescue Plant Act funds, according to the DCNR website.
If selected, Palmer Township could receive a grant at the beginning of 2023, and officials say they could tentatively start planning trail improvements in the summer.
