EASTON, Pa. — Easton’s West Ward celebrated the expansion of its green space Friday with the opening of Centennial Park on Friday afternoon.
Local and state leaders came together at 12th and Ferry streets to see the newly revamped park.
It features a new playground, swings, saucers, a natural rock wall, a climbing wall, slides, a tunnel, a pavilion, a toddler track, a resealed basketball court and the infrastructure for misting poles that will be installed during warm weather.
"But this is an important neighborhood park in the sense that it's a focal point for the neighbors to be able to gather, for their kids to play and enjoy themselves in a safe and wonderful setting.”State Rep. Robert Freeman
The grand re-opening comes just after Vanderveer Park celebrated its own refreshed look in July.
Eason Mayor Sal Panto Jr. applauded his guests for their help — and money, of course — which led to the improved park.
They included Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure, state Sen. Lisa Boscola, state Rep. Robert Freeman, and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Lorne Possinger.
They, along with others, helped procure a 2021 PA DCNR grant for $100,000, a 2019 Economic Development Community Development Initiatives grant for $200,000, a 2020 Lehigh and Northampton County Local Share Account grant for $22,400, a 2019 Monroe County Local Share Account grant for $40,000, and a 2024 Grow NorCo grant for $22,000.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to add an improved green space to the West Ward," Freeman said. "I grew up in the West Ward; it was always very tough to find open space in the West Ward.
“You played in alleys, that's where you usually played, or other people's back yards.
"But this is an important neighborhood park in the sense that it's a focal point for the neighbors to be able to gather, for their kids to play and enjoy themselves in a safe and wonderful setting.”
Freeman also reminisced about the site’s history, as it once served as the location of the Centennial School.
“So this has many memories, but we are celebrating today its renewal as an expanded and improved park,” he said.
'Able to shape what's here'
Boscola said when Panto had originally approached her to see if there was any funding available for park projects, she responded enthusiastically.
"So I'm proud of this, and it just brings back memories, because I do remember sliding down sliding boards.”State Sen. Lisa Boscola
“I was like, ‘Absolutely!’" Boscola said. "And you'll see throughout my tenure in Harrisburg that when there is state money available in programming, money and so forth, I will always give it to parks, pools, recreation matters.
“It's the first thing that goes in mostly city governments when they're strapped in their budgets. The first thing that goes is the playgrounds.
"And I'm just committed to making that not happen in our great state of Pennsylvania, and especially in the Lehigh Valley. So I'm proud of this, and it just brings back memories, because I do remember sliding down sliding boards.”
Freeman presented the city with a certificate of recognition from the state House, and Boscola presented a plaque commemorating the park.
McClure commended the mayor and city officials for their dedication to the project.
“When they look back in the next quarter century and see the improvements that have taken place in Easton, Sal Panto’s picture needs to be in that history," McClure said.
"Because it is to your credit, sir, that Easton is moving forward in the 21st century. So thank you very much. Thank you very much for everything that you've done, sir.
“And Easton’s future is in great hands too, [with] Councilwoman Rose, Councilman Pintabone back there working so hard for all of us. I mean, it's really great.
"And DCNR is here. I get to talk about DCNR a lot because DCNR brings a lot of money to Northampton County. When I talk about Northampton County's future being green, it's because we have a partner like DCNR.”
Possinger said he was thrilled DCNR was able to help out, and relished the opportunity to help the community develop exactly what would work best for them.
“One of the reasons that we feel so great about investing in Easton is the planning portion of this,” Possinger said.
“You know, we helped support a plan where they got the neighborhoods together, and they asked them, you know, ‘What would you like to see in a neighborhood park like this?’
"And they were able to participate, and they were able to shape what's here.”
