Yeah, yeah.

We got a bunch of volunteers for that.

Yeah, everybody's coming over.

No, I'm just lobbying.

We would always resolve universities back there.

Thank you for having me.

Actually, Natalie, he's not gonna join on teams.

He's in person.

Um, not in person.

Oh, he's gonna try to join council, but not sure.

Okay, thank you.

Uh with that being said, I will begin our parks and recreation committee.

Um, myself and council person binder is present.

Uh we have quite a bit on the agenda.

Uh Ms.

Ortega, Bill 32, please.

Bill 32 amends the section of the code on alcoholic beverages, controlled dangerous substances, solicitation and gambling by prohibiting smoking or vaping any substance within 25 feet of playgrounds, recreational fields, and courts, including but not limited to baseball, basketball, football, handball, softball, tennis, volleyball, etc.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Tolina.

Good evening.

Uh, thank you.

I think there is someone here to speak on this as well from um Blue Zones who was part of the advocacy behind changing this code, which is a really beneficial code to protect young children that are playing on playgrounds and making sure that there's no second-hand smoke near the areas where children play in parks.

So um it's a great step towards smoke-free parks to make sure that we have fresh air to breathe when we're when bringing our kids to the parks.

Of course.

Thank you.

Um, any questions from well, I guess from from you, Mr.

Bender.

There we go.

Any comments from um, I'm sorry, did you have some?

Are we getting the presentation or is is he speaking?

Are you speaking to any of this or I was not planning on speaking?

Okay, I I just wasn't sure if I had a question from it.

Yeah, if you if you had any extra information that you want to present, then feel free to hop in whenever.

Um I'll just have a quick line.

Yeah, yeah.

Um, saying that this is not something that we brought to All Intown as a as a kind of you know, like something canned, and like it's not something that it's um that it's gonna benefit just a group of people, it's gonna benefit our kids.

So we just wanted to make sure that everybody here understood that we just want to make sure that our kids in Alentown have access to the right amount of positive behaviors.

Yeah, because that's the you know, that's how they learn, right?

So you know, making sure that we have smoke-free environments for these kids to enjoy nature, it do enjoy you know, being outside.

Um, it's always gonna be a positive thing for the city.

So we thank you for the work you're doing.

Thank you.

I would like to say something, of course.

Um I um I hope that this bill pass.

I mean um we work really hard, you know, with Blue Son on this bill, and this is like he said before.

Um, this is for you know, for all the children.

Um it's really bad when you see um uh people smoking in front of children, you know, and they're breathing everything in not having a say.

So this will be an opportunity to do something really big, you know, for for the community.

Definitely, I hope he passes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, any other comments from the dais on this matter.

Seeing none.

Any other comments from the public on this?

All right.

Uh with that being said, may I get a motion to move this forward favorably?

I'll make a motion to move it forward.

All right, I'll second it.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye, and this will move forward.

Um 37, please.

Bill 37 amends the 2026 Capital Fund and General Fund operating budgets to provide for a supplemental appropriation of 100,000 from the Allentown Partnership to support improvements to Ethica Park and recreational programming.

This is a reimbursement from the partnership.

Thank you.

Miss Telena?

So this is as was stated a reimbursement grant that is funded through the Allentown Partnership, which is our primary parks partner.

That was a lot of peas.

Yeah.

Our primary parks partner.

And we worked with them to discuss what types of activities they wanted to support.

So they wanted to make sure that they're supporting both capital improvements and recreational opportunities.

So Ithaca Park was chosen because it's one of our playground sites that doesn't have a lot of shade and it's kind of doesn't have a lot of amenities there.

So that um amount of money is going to go a long way there for a new shade structure.

Uh adding on to the playground.

So take removing using the space that's there, but adding on and make it more interesting for the kids, improving the path that will connect to South Mountain, so they'll have that nature connection as well as um improvements to the basketball court.

So it'll really we have a lot of kids that go there for summer playground, so it'll be a great improvement for that.

And then the Monday Fundays and learn to swim.

Monday fun days with the money we were able to offer healthy food options for the kids and buy some new games.

So this past week we were at Clyde Boskett, and the last um the one on Monday was a great success.

There was a food truck, each kid got a meal, a full meal, and some of the games were new.

So those are the types of things that the partnership partnership was able to help us bring to life.

Um they'll learn to swim.

There'll be some a press announcement around that on Friday at the block party.

Um but we're gonna be able to offer swim safety around water to all the kids that participate in the summer playground program.

So instead of just going to the pool to swim and play, if they don't know how to swim, they're gonna learn skills at the same time.

So um, so a lot of good things coming out of this grant.

Thank you.

Ums from the dais on this.

Uh I just wanted to say I I heard about the program with the the swim program a while ago, but um I just think it's really exciting, and I think it's really really good um to have that because it's a uh it's it's it's shocking sometimes how many people um don't answer.

So from a safety perspective, it's great.

Thank you.

I just want to say that I'm excited about seeing improvement going to that park.

I remember um a couple of years ago, my my kids they used to go to the park, and there's not much there.

Yeah.

So do you have like like the uh um in ideas to what you would like to see there?

Because you know what?

It was when you when when the sun used to hit, there was like you mentioned before, no shade.

Yeah.

Uh and and it was really rough for the kids.

So are you planning to plant, you know, like any trees?

Like what is it that you're planning to do there?

So we're planning on adding a shade structure, so like a big umbrella that stays there.

It's not really an umbrella, but if in my mind I picture it as a big like umbrella that kind of sticks in the ground but's permanent shade structure.

Um, so that'll be added.

We'll be um adding new backboards because right now they're like wooden and not they're not meant for actual like playing basketball, they're very old.

And then the playground equipment, we're gonna use some of the pieces that are still there.

So we're trying to stretch our budget to add to it instead of completely renovating the park.

So we're gonna add different interesting features to the play structure, new benches.

Um, there's mulch there and um a wooden rail around the outside.

It's kind of a tripping hazard, so we're gonna be addressing that.

So it's gonna be ADA accessible.

Um, so a lot of different things, and I can also, we don't have it yet, but I can send like a sketch of kind of what we're planning on doing at that point.

It will be nice because the park needs a little bit of love, especially that park.

Yes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, any other comments from the dais on this.

All right.

Um, any comments from the public?

See none.

Uh, can I have a motion to move this forward?

Um you say motion for a motion to move it favorably.

I'll second that.

Um, all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

And this will move forward.

Uh Bill 38, please.

Bill 38 amends the 2026 capital fund budget to provide for a transfer of 50, 841 dollars and 45 cents from accounts associated with the completed Dixon Street Pedestrian Bridge and Parks Master Plan projects to the Bilgarts Bridge rehabilitation project.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Telena.

Thank you.

Um, so this is a little bit of a cleaning up of accounts.

The those two projects are complete, and um the money, most of the money is coming out of the Dixon Street Pedestrian Bridge.

Um, so that project is done, so we're moving into Bogertz because there was some changes that we need to buy additional timbers in order to complete that project.

So it's just moving some funds around so we can close out some of our capital projects.

Thank you.

And out of curiosity, what what is the projected like end date for for this project?

I know it's probably a couple years, maybe maybe a year.

I don't know.

For Bogertz, it was supposed to be done in August, but we've added a few months.

So we're thinking still by the end of this year that would be the estimate.

Gotcha.

Thank you.

Um, any comments from my committee members or the dais on this?

Seeing none.

Any comments from the public?

Can I have a motion to move this forward?

Motion to move forward.

I'll second that.

And all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

And this will move forward.

Bill 39, please.

Bill 39 amends the 2026 capital fund budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of 106,329 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to support construction.

Wait, did I just read that?

Or is this another one to support the construction of the Dixon Street Bridge?

Yeah.

Sidewalks.

Thank you.

Um, Miss Selina.

So, yeah, um, this one is still on Dixon Street, but it's constructing sidewalks to connect um the end of the parking lot at Mac Pool to the corner where the bus stop is to allow more accessibility to Mac pool for walkers and people that ride the bus.

Um, so this is a grant that will fully fund those improvements to construct a sidewalk or a path that will make that easier for for people that are riding buses or walking.

Thank you.

Uh can I say that?

I think that that will be a great idea.

This is gonna be so awesome.

That bridge really needed um um uh a great improvement because I mean it was scary that the kids were um that lead that bridge was like really messed up, you know, and we were really uh afraid that the kids were gonna get hurt because that's how they went through the other side and went to school.

So I'm glad that you guys are beautifying and putting more.

Yes, more beautiful things, you know, and and a pathway um because this is heavily used.

There's a lot of people that walk in that neighborhood, so that bridge was really important.

Many kids use it every day, and then trying to also safely get the kids in the neighborhood to the pool because a lot of the same kids that are using that bridge are using the pool, so just trying to kind of piecemeal some improvements to make it safer to walk in Trop Creek.

So that's yeah, this is gonna be great.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other comments from our committee members or the guys?

Okay.

Any comments from the public on this?

Seeing none, may I get a motion?

Oh motion to vote favor, please.

I'll second that.

Those in favor say aye.

Aye, and this will move forward.

Bill 40, please.

Bill 40 amends the 2026 capital fund budget to provide for a supplemental appropriation of 800,000 dollars from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development LSA grant to support construction of the MLK trail extension phase one.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Tolina.

Um, so we're finally getting close to being done with design for MLK, and we're about to go to construction, hopefully, bid it out this year.

Um, so this is money that we received from the state to support the construction of that trial project on MLK.

Thank you.

Um, any comments from my committee members or the dais?

Yeah.

So I have a quick question.

Um, and this is more specific to the trail systems.

Um, I was looking through the master plan and I didn't see it anywhere.

And um, I'm just wondering because I did find something online, I think it was on MCall from a while ago.

Is there anywhere that there's a kind of comprehensive map that says phase one's gonna be you know, here, here, here, so of all the trails that are in and around Alentown?

So, right now, um, LVPC is working on a trail gap analysis.

I for this trail system mlk, I would say there's not a great map, but I we could work with our GIS team to make one because I was looking for one as well to have a more solid conversation on exactly where we were talking about, and I couldn't find it.

So I think that's a good suggestion.

We can we can create one um to show each of the phases because we have one, but it's really high level and it's hard to really see where it's gonna go.

So yeah, and I think this can this kind of came up out of the canal park um some of the discussions, but you know, for for people that are visiting our parks, being able to know oh, this you know, this is this is coming.

This is like it kind of helps really market the the impact of the the parks department and kind of people can anticipate where they can go and where they're gonna eventually be able to go with from a park system.

So yeah, that'd be helpful, but whenever it would be nice, but but you can't.

I agree.

Thanks.

Um, and after that conversation, we actually went up and updated our capital projects page on the website because we realized it was really out of date and it would be good to have like up-to-date information so public knows what's going on.

So thank you for whoever made that comment that was definitely valid.

Um, but we can I can look into uh creating a map that's clear each of the phases and and put some years on there of when we think it might happen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other comments from um the dias on this seeing none, any comments from the public?

Alrighty, can I get a motion?

Uh motion to move it favorably.

I'll second that.

All those in favor say aye.

Aye.

And this will move forward.

Thank you.

Um, I believe I lied.

We have Bill 41 still.

Right.

Okay.

Bill 41 amends the 2026 capital fund budget to provide for an increase of 1,905,000 to fund the approved parks capital projects as part of the 2026 capital borrowing.

Thank you.

Uh Ms.

Tolino.

So this is the one that I had sent some visuals, if that's of interest, um, just so you get a better picture of of what the projects are and the impact that they'll have.

Um, thank you.

So the four projects that um are on for discussion are the park operations facility, which is number one on the list for a reason it's one of the highest priorities for me as a leader of a department for uh 47 SCIU staff that are currently working out of the historic excuse me, historic barn that was not meant for them to be working out of, it was a temporary fix that's become sort of long-term fix.

Um, and it doesn't have ADA accessible routes throughout the building, they're not restroom facilities for um men and women, and it is when you're in there you can look up and and see cracks and and see the sky, and so it really isn't a great place to work out of.

Um, so that's the first one.

Uh the second one is based on uh safety as well.

It's a safety surface at Cedar Park, um, and it has reached the end of its useful life.

Um next will be the MLK trail can the balance to start that project, and finally fountain park.

So if you want to go to the next slide, please.

Um, so talking about the park operations facility, this funding would be used to go into uh design for the building.

Um we've completed a concept plan, so we know that it can happen there.

Now it's looking into the details of like what you know, actually designing it and engineering documents.

And this is all based on need and safety for employees.

We had the person who completed the concept plan do a report card for us, and it received a D overall for all those categories listed up there of um the building, the systems, and the overall well-being of staff.

Um, there are a few pictures that just show kind of the the area that they're working out of.

And this is the suggested site that um we would be working in.

So right now it's a gravel lot where we park all of our uh trucks.

Um so it wouldn't be disrupting a lot of the woods, and um when we design, we're keeping in mind uh impervious cover.

We want to make sure that when we're building things that we're not affecting the environment, and we're gonna protect the viewshed from the Ly Parkway by planting trees and landscaping and that type of thing as well.

Um the safety surfacing at Cedar, it's no longer you have for certain heights, you have to have a certain thickness, and it no longer meets that criteria.

And um, due to this sheer size of the park and the amount of rubber surfacing, it's a relatively it's a very expensive project because they have to remove it and replace it.

Um, and that's the uh the request for that um for cedar.

Next one, please.

MLK Trail, we were really successful in receiving many grants, 2.3 million dollars worth of grants for this project.

The balance and the match is a 655 project balance.

So that's that request to actually build that trail.

And that's my lovely attempt to try to make a map.

We can do a little bit better, but um that's where the trail will go.

It will connect behind fountain pool to um right just behind the apartments in Lehigh Parkway.

So it'll be an important connection.

I think it'll be really heavily used.

Um we already have a lot of people in Fountain Park using Fountain Park.

We have a concept plan which had a lot of public feedback and similar to how we did at Franklin when we're moving into design I want to make sure there's built in meetings and discussion so it's not you know this is not what we're moving forward on.

The next step would be having the consultant continue the conversation and really drill down into what what's gonna happen and and be built in Fountain Park because having a vacant pool there for many years is not a good look for the city a lot of people drive by and I think it's a good time to to figure out what we're gonna do and start doing it because it's been a long time that that pool hasn't been used.

I know there's a lot of history there I know this is not an easy project but um we're up for the challenge oh so that's what I have for that.

Thank you.

Any comments from my committee members yeah just a couple um so first uh thank you so much for uh putting that together I know I had a couple questions on this process I just want to just verify something so the the project this tonight is basically put the putting the design together but from the standpoint of the project for the barn which I I will say as I said I think once before touring it there's a there's a there's an immense need to have that be addressed but just so I'm understanding the when the project when the design is done that actual project will come before council for approval before there's any bond issuance is that correct okay right so we would do I would do the same where it would say I would ask for the dollar value to for construction dollars once it's completed and part of the design will have a an engineered stamped estimate so we'll know relatively closely what what the price tag would be but we're thinking that it it would be right around what we had estimated when we first started discussing this project.

Okay thanks I just wanted to make sure I was understanding the process properly and I do want to say um because I might said this before but the Franklin Park design that process that workflow I went I was I was I was able to get to the most of the all meetings but um it was a really really good process it was amazing to see through through that um all the iterations that it they captured feedback from the public and the community and really brought that together so I'm excited to see that for Fountain Park and what that would look like so just a good process so thanks.

Thank you I appreciate that thank you um anyone else on the dias for this seeing none any comments from the public on this one yep yes come on Michael Molovinsky I'm curious if there's any plans uh in this year's budget to resurface the landings in the steps on the double stairwell in Robinhood.

So the answer is yes we are planning to do that we have um design it's out for design right now and we're gonna be using Trexler money to repair the Lehigh landing steps this year.

Oh and what would be the time frame for that?

Um it usually takes more than a year by the time we get the design and construction so in the next year or so okay the money already I think the last council meeting the money was allocated to that account.

Yeah I would just like to mention that was the keystone of the Allentown park system uh designed by Megan associates of Philadelphia under commission by Mr.

Trexler General Trexler it was literally the keystone of the park system the beginning of the park system so WPA icon I personally don't think it needs much design it just needs a mason to do the work um so I've been asking this question for the last 15 years maybe every three years here at council um but you won't have to come I think Miss Moto's heard you say it before so we're doing it so we're doing it which is great.

Okay but you know what I would love to see uh uh a mason here you know what I mean because we have so many work that needs to be um you know it will be it will be great to have someone here either part time or full time just to do those kind of like work because I know that it's very difficult to to to have a mason.

Yeah, it's difficult work for sure.

And just to answer the the question about like the design, I'm using the wrong term.

It's it's like a historic how-to guide on what we want when we are repairing the the stairs.

So we just want to make sure that we get qualified Masons that know how to work with historic features.

So um it's that's where we are right now, but we are moving towards actually repairing those stairs.

And I heard that there are not too many of them.

There are not too many of them out there.

Masons.

Yes, yes.

That is dying off.

Oh, yeah.

I remember very vividly.

We talked about that before.

All righty.

Uh thank you guys for your comments.

Any other comments from the public on this?

Hi, Jeannie Garcia, to Wawa South 13th Street.

Thank you for including us in the possibilities of Fountain Park.

I was hoping to hear something.

I'm surprised to hear about it tonight.

Um, it does hold a lot of history in the city of Allen Sound.

It was our free pool that our youth um used back in the day.

Um, my only question is will those rocks be removed so that my community members have access to the basketball court.

I noticed they were put back in place recently, and there was an overflow in the other parking lot um with visitors to the park with these nice days, these last warm days.

Will those be removed so that the community can access the basketball court without having to cross Martin Luther King without a sidewalk?

I don't know if I can answer that right now.

Um I know that you can park in the side lot and walk through the grass, but I agree there's not a great way to get around.

Um sometimes it does get overcrowded there, so we definitely want people playing basketball and and and being in the park to use use the amenities there.

So it's not meant to discourage that at all.

Um, but I the idea was to try to reduce some of the crowds that we get at times in town park.

So um I understand, but I noticed that there's not rocks barking um blocking other parking spaces at other local um waterways in the city of Allentown.

So I was just wondering about that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Um, any other comments from the public on this matter?

All righty, seeing none.

Um, do you have a motion to move forward favorably?

Uh motion to move this favorably.

Uh second that um all those in favor say aye.

Aye.

Um, and this will move forward.

And I think we have an approval of minutes.

And are there any questions on the minutes?

Do we have the motion to have them approved?

You don't have to, but you can if you want.

Now they're approved.

Um, thank you all.

Ms.

Telino, any quick updates for parks and rec before we adjourn.

Uh thank you for the opportunity.

I'll just briefly mention um this Friday is the kick off the summer.

We have our urban block party um on the east side, and we're gonna be showing a movie.

The pool opens, it's a free pool day, so we encourage people to come out and just come and kick off the summer with us on Friday at two.

Um, we also have a uh an announcement about the water safety on Friday as well.

And and after that, we're gonna roll right into our summer season with all the aquatic openings.

Um, this year we are accepting uh tap to pay, which is gonna be great for the kids.

So we're thinking it's gonna be a great season.

We have a lot of returners, we're at 88% returner rate from last year for Aquatics, and so that means kids like working there and they're happy to come back, which I think is a huge success, and um just shows that it's a good a good team uh leading it over there, um, or some of our seasonal seasonal initiatives.

Um, and then just finally we have a concert at Union Terrace on Friday as well with Low Cut Connie, which is a somewhat regional name.

So it'll be uh Friday night in Union Terrace.

And um, and I'll wrap up with also a thank you for Fiesta.

That was an amazing event.

It was so much fun and agree that Monday everything looked great.

So thank you to the chamber who was able to work with La Omega and organize it and and all the city staff that were there to support it.

It was really a great event.

Um, and thank you to the sp City Special Events team who helped coordinate some of those services, but just wanted to take a minute to kind of celebrate that because it was it was really well done and a great day for for downtown.

So um, so that's all.

Thank you so much.

Um, with that being said, I will adjourn this meeting.

Thank you.