PALMER TWP., Pa. — The township’s first comprehensive master plan for green spaces around the Bushkill Creek is underway.
Officials last month held the first public meeting on the Bushkill Creek Greenway Master Plan, a comprehensive, community-driven effort aimed at mitigating flooding, updating facilities and increasing accessibility, among other goals.
As part of the effort, local leaders are seeking input from residents and nature enthusiasts. A survey is available through June 15.
“To really see how we can connect our existing parks, trails and greenways along this stretch, as well as investigate improvements to mitigate flooding impacts, environmental restoration efforts and to generally promote an enjoyable space for people to recreate and enjoy our nature.”Craig Beavers, township planning director
The corridor surrounding Bushkill Creek, which runs four miles through the township, has historically seen intense industrial uses, township Planning Director Craig Beavers said.
Over the years, officials have developed seven parks and two trails, but there’s never been a comprehensive plan to tie it all together.
“That's one of the big reasons that the township decided to initiate this study,” Beavers said.
“To really see how we can connect our existing parks, trails and greenways along this stretch, as well as investigate improvements to mitigate flooding impacts, environmental restoration efforts and to generally promote an enjoyable space for people to recreate and enjoy our nature.”
‘A multidisciplinary team’
The plan is funded through $137,500 in grants from Northampton County’s Livable Landscapes program and the state Financing Authority’s Local Share Account funding.
“It'll cover the entire plan, including public engagement outreach, the entire analysis and planning document, as well as a few concept and preliminary designs for park and trail improvements,” Beavers said.
Township officials launched proposal requests in December. Omnes, an Easton-based landscape architectural firm, was hired as the lead consultant on the project.
During a May 19 Board of Supervisors meeting, Sheila M. Fuentes, director of Omnes, gave a presentation about the plan.
“We have formed a multidisciplinary team for this project,” Fuentes said. She said Wildlands Conservancy and AKRF, an environmental engineering company, also are helping with the plan.
Noting it’s a community-driven effort, Fuentes outlined upcoming opportunities for residents and greenway visitors to get involved.
There will be two more public presentations, in August and October, a pop-up event during Palmer Community Weekend slated for Aug. 15-16, and two surveys.
“The first survey, that’s out now, is really asking what the community wants to see along the greenway and asking really broad questions about how people are experiencing it now and what people want to see in the future,” she said.
“The second survey, that will come later, is going to collect feedback on the proposed recommendations that grow out of both the analysis we’re going to talk about tonight and the initial public feedback.”
The current survey, expected to take about five minutes to complete, is open to all who use the parks and trails.
“We encourage feedback from everybody who enjoys the Bushkill — either as a resident, a park user or a trail runner — to participate and give us any feedback that you want to see on these areas,” Beavers said.
“Obviously, Palmer Township focuses on our residents, but we know that it's something that goes well beyond a municipal boundary, especially with our trails and our rivers.
"So everybody who loves to be along the Bushkill is invited to give us their feedback.”
Improve park access, prevent overcrowding
The greenway stretched across the township, meeting both the township’s northern and southern borders, where Tatamy and Wilson begin, respectively. It bumps up against the border with Forks Township to the east.
“One of the big goals of our project is to really have this community-driven master plan for what future improvements we want to see at this park,” Beavers said.
“I know we're hoping for a lot of ADA upgrades, improvements so everybody of all ages and abilities can enjoy the facilities, but also a lot of improvement to the existing recreation there, with some additional remediation to help improve the flooding concerns in" Mill Race Park.
The corridor is unique because of the industries who have set up in the township, Beaver said.
“We're trying to figure out ways that we can both work in tandem with the existing facilities, but also ways that we could look at future programming and uses for some of these spaces that may not be there in the future,” he said.
“So it's that combination of looking at the history and the past connections that have existed along the corridor, but also opening it up for future activities and improvements that will hopefully create an environment that people want to be in in the next few years.”
Beavers said he doesn't have data on park attendance, but there has been a noted uptick in visitors at Mill Race Park, 2001 Newlins Mill Road, and especially at Penn Pump Park, 2100 Northwood Ave.
Beavers attributed it to the popularity of the location, with tourists visiting for access to the creek.
“So, another aspect of this plan is going to be looking at operations and safety considerations to try and improve not only park access, but prevent overcrowding and potential health and safety concerns.”Craig Beavers, township planning director
“But it's also led to some overcrowding and some safety concerns,” he said. “So another aspect of this plan is going to be looking at operations and safety considerations to try and improve not only park access, but prevent overcrowding and potential health and safety concerns.”
Part of the considerations for Penn Pump include removing the dam.
Wildlands has so far removed five dams from the Bushkill, an effort to restore and improve the health of the waterway.
During her presentation, Fuentes said the dam is “going to be a big part” of the considerations.
While there are clear ecological benefits with removing the dam, it could be viewed as a negative for residents who have long used the area to swim.
“There's a lot to consider when balancing the historical and recreational uses that the visitors and residents have enjoyed with the dam, with some of the natural resource improvements that are associated with it,” Beavers said.
“We're aware that it is a sensitive topic for some people, but we wouldn't make any action or decision on removal or keeping the dam without more conversation and collaboration.”
Officials are optimistic they’ll be able to meet the timeline outlined in Fuentes’ presentation, including a final report expected this fall.
After a review by the township’s planning commission, recreation board and the environmental steering committee, it'll be sent to the Board of Supervisors sometime in December for an adoption vote.
