PALMER TWP., Pa. — Penn Pump Park has become more accessible for visitors, thanks to a rehabilitation project funded by county grant programs.
Palmer residents, township workers and citizens gathered Tuesday in the park to celebrate the completion of several initiatives to increase ADA accessibility at the park.
The township installed a permanent ADA-accessible trail connection to the Palmer Bikeway/Two Rivers Trail, added new ADA parking spaces and created a dedicated accessible route to the park’s historic pavilion.
“We're making improvements: The trails throughout the township could not exceed the success we have without everyone working like a team.”Palmer Township supervisors President Jeffrey Young
It was paid with $139,367 in funding from Northampton County via the Livable Landscapes and Grow NORCO grant programs, and support from the Palmer Township Business, Industrial and Professional Association, the Bushkill Stream Conservancy and the Wildlands Conservancy.
“Today, we honor the commitment of the [township] Board of Supervisors, the extraordinary efforts of our staff, and continued cheerleading of our businesses, community and conservation partners,” Palmer Township Board of Supervisors President Jeffrey Young said.
“We're making improvements: The trails throughout the township could not exceed the success we have without everyone working like a team.”
Impact will be substantial
Young credited former Director of Public Works Tom Adams, who submitted a proposal and grant application for improvements in 2020, and current Director Philip Godbout, who he said got the ball rolling on the project, among other members of the DPW.
Godbout said that about a year ago, he worked alongside Northampton County Conservation Coordinator Sherry Acevedo to find a way to use that grant funding and decided the accessibility improvements fit the grants' intent.
Young said that while the trail connection was “not a big improvement as far as linear feet,” its impact would be substantial.
“It's a huge improvement for ADA purposes and for access by people with special needs to get to," he said. "And the slope here is very minimal. It's a former railroad bed.
"I think the railroad bed's max is 4 percent; this one's really minimal, which makes it really easy to use.”
'Creates economic development'
Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure championed the rehabilitation effort.
McClure said it not only benefits those who now can access the park more easily, but the community and economy as a whole.
"I want to tease just a little bit, very soon we're going to have a report that demonstrates how much outdoor recreation our rivers and our trails add to our economic development in the county of Northampton. It's going to be quite impressive.”Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure
“When we do things like trail development, we are improving the overall environment of the Lehigh Valley," McClure said.
"When we talk about our future being green, we have 300 miles of waterways and trails in Northampton County alone, which creates a tremendous amount of economic development.
“That's right: Outdoor recreation creates economic development.
"And I want to tease just a little bit, very soon we're going to have a report that demonstrates how much outdoor recreation our rivers and our trails add to our economic development in the county of Northampton. It's going to be quite impressive.”
While the new ADA accessibility improvements are off to a great start, Young said the rest of the township’s parks will require work to maintain their standard of quality.
“It's something we need to do more of in Palmer," he said. "A lot of our parks are older.
“They were built in the '70s and '80s, and a lot of that wasn't thought of then, and so we have more work to do, but you’ve got to be able to get to the parks.
"You’ve got to be able to use it. You're going to be able to use the facilities. Our trails are the best, as far as I'm concerned. Locally, I think we do more than just about anybody.”
