EASTON, Pa. — It didn’t take long for West Ward parents — and children — to explore and enjoy the refreshed Vanderveer Park in Easton on Wednesday afternoon.
Before all the speakers were done and the ribbon was cut on the $345,000 project at 12th and Spruce streets, visitors were walking the new pathway, riding the new swings and slipping down the new slides.
Situated under the pavilion nearby, Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. remarked that Vanderveer was not a project for the city alone, but a joint effort tapping regional and state politicians, the Greater Easton Development Partnership, the Easton Area School District, and a hefty contribution from Crayola.
“This upgrade greatly enhances this park, improving its look, its recreational potential, making it an anchor for the neighborhood as a great place for children and their families to come utilize, to recreate and to enjoy."Rep. Robert Freeman
“In 2009 I created the Open Space and Recreation Fund; which all the development that's taking place in the downtown, it’s funding the improvements that are being done to our parks and recreation program out here in this in the neighborhoods, the neighborhoods that are the lifeblood of the city,” Panto said.
The mayor briefly touched on the history of parks in the city, and how there were few to none upon its creation.
He reminisced about teaching at Vanderveer Elementary School, “where this playground equipment is,” and the growth of pocket parks in the city.
Now, with more money coming in due to development, parks such as Vanderveer and more can be refreshed and built up to accommodate a growing population eager for green space.
According to City Administrator Luis Campos, since 2016, the city has brought in about $3.2 million in grants for local parks, in addition to $650,000 brought in by the open space fund.
“So that's $650,000 that our staff was able to leverage for a total of about $4 million," Campos said. "So when you look at this park and when you look at other parks, and we start making announcements, especially on our web page, where we have updates on different projects that we have going on in the city, specifically parks, the 16 parks that we have.
"That $4 million has come from our staff being smart and leveraging the development dollars that we've used that have gone to open space. That's very, very important.”
Campos thanked the Greater Easton Development Partnership and Crayola for their help.
A representative from the office of Sen. Lisa Boscola, who was not present, said the senator had been pleased to work alongside state Rep. Robert Freeman in securing two grants totaling $215,000 for Vanderveer.
“Improving these assets provides a low-cost recreational opportunity for our families," she read from a prepared statement from Boscola.
"Investing in our local parks improves our quality of life, enhances our communities, and makes cities like Easton more attractive places to live.”
Freeman said parks provide communities with a gathering spot to meet and congregate in person, otherwise known as “third spaces” where people can get to know one another, connect and share information.
“This upgrade greatly enhances this park, improving its look, its recreational potential, making it an anchor for the neighborhood as a great place for children and their families to come utilize, to recreate and to enjoy,” Freeman said.
State Department of Community & Economic Development Lehigh Valley Regional Office Director Fadia Halma called attention to the benefits of parks as well, and her organization’s mission to enhance the community via new green spaces and parks.
“And not only are outdoors important just to grow up and have the memories that we have when we're swinging on the swing set or going down the sliding board, but also the opportunity for some help, mental health, and what it can do to just be outdoors,” Halma said.
Crayola Director of Government & Community Affairs Marta JeBran — who was instrumental in her company donating $100,000 to Vanderveer — also reminisced on a childhood spent at that very spot, when it was just a simple space, and commended the backers who helped transform the spot for all.
“As you know, we care about the creative wellbeing of kids, and this compliments what Crayola is all about. Because in addition to helping them bring out their creativity, we want them to be physically active and for their mental wellbeing,” JeBran said.
GEDP Executive Director Jared Mast spoke on the community’s need for high quality park space, which motivated the group to partner with various government and private agencies to make it happen.
Vanderveer marks what Mast described as a “first phase,” with additional improvements already underway or soon to begin.
“I think it's super important that Centennial Park, which is at 12th and Ferry, and also this park, become new community resources for the West Ward," Mast said.
"We want to continue to build on it with our partners, not just here, but at other sites in the West Ward.”
Panto closed the event off just before the ribbon cutting, stating that initiatives such as these are an important element of support for residents of the neighborhoods in Easton, and not just the downtown, and such measures will continue.
“This is what's really about the quality of life in the West Ward. And from here, the contractors went right to Centennial Park, where, hopefully, by the end of the summer, that'll be done, and Centennial Park will become a very integral hub of activity for everybody who lives on the south side of Northampton Street,” Panto said.
