EASTON, Pa. — Northampton County Council has approved $600,000 in grants for five projects focused on improving local parks and trails.
The funding, through the Livable Landscapes Grant Program, was unanimously approved at the council’s June 18 meeting, according to a news release.
“Our grant recipients submitted high-quality, ready to go projects."Sherry Acevedo, conservation coordinator and Livable Landscapes grant administrator
"Through initiatives like the Northampton County Livable Landscapes Grant Program, we are able to empower our municipalities to protect the county's important natural features, conduct ecological restoration and provide outdoor recreation for future generations," County Executive Lamont McClure said.
“Our natural resources, green spaces and recreational opportunities provide an economic value in terms of savings and earned costs, as a return on our investment in our communities.”
Awards include:
- $75,000 to Hellertown for improvements at Tumminello Park, at the north end of Main Street
- $100,000 to Northampton to refurbish the Fourth Street Playground
- $50,000 to Palmer Township for restoration work at Fox Run Park, 1295 Van Buren Road, and open space at Schoeneck Creek
- $75,000 to Upper Mount Bethel Township for the first phase of construction on the township’s preserve
- $300,000 to Bethlehem for the Greenway Trail gap.
'Funding partner in Top 10 site'
“Our grant recipients submitted high-quality, ready-to-go projects,” Sherry Acevedo, conservation coordinator and Livable Landscapes grant administrator, said.
“We are very pleased to be a funding partner in the construction of a Top 10 State Trail Gap recognized" by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in the city of Bethlehem.
“We are very pleased to be a funding partner in the construction of a Top 10 State Trail Gap recognized" by the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in the city of Bethlehem.Sherry Acevedo, conservation coordinator and Livable Landscapes grant administrator
“In 2024, a Livable Landscapes Grant Award supplemented this trail gap acquisition, and now we are helping to support the trail construction to connect the South Bethlehem Greenway to the Saucon Rail Trail.”
For the program, officials prioritized projects dealing with land conservation, ecological restoration, education and outreach, municipal park development and rehabilitation, and regional trails, according to the release.
All potential applicants participated in a grant workshop and mandatory individualized pre-application meetings.
During last year’s funding round, nearly $650,000 in grants were awarded to six projects. Since 2006, the county has awarded $21.7 million in Livable Landscapes grants.
