OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting - April 9, 2026

Board of Commissioners & Boards — Thursday, April 9, 2026
BodyRadnor Township, Pennsylvania
SessionBoard of Commissioners & Boards
DateThursday, April 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:17:05

Transcript — Verbatim
0:10

And just moving to the minutes.

0:12

Hopefully the board had an opportunity to look over the minutes.

0:14

I just need a uh motion to approve the minutes.

0:16

I'll make a motion and a second.

0:18

With no objections, minutes will be approved.

0:21

Um moving on to reports.

0:24

Before we go to reports, I just want to acknowledge our new member, Jay, who's on the board.

0:30

Welcome.

0:33

We've had the opportunity to uh speak just before about uh uh stewardship assignments, and it's something that we'll hopefully in future meetings be able to cover for uh uh uh members of the board to be responsible for for our local parks.

0:48

Uh with that said, Jay, do you have any comments to the public before we start?

0:52

Uh just in fairness.

0:54

Uh listen, I'm I'm thrilled uh to join the board.

0:57

Had a lot of uh respect and admiration for its work, and I think it's really one of the crown jewels of the township.

1:04

So well done, folks.

1:06

Thanks, Jay.

1:08

Um with that said, uh Tammy, um, we could go directly into reports if you'd like, or if you wanted to change the schedule.

1:16

Uh thank you, Mr.

1:17

Chairman.

1:18

I think we will we'll jump right into reports.

1:19

Um we'll follow the the order of the agenda as we had planned.

1:24

Um and what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna let Vikir go ahead and start talking about some of the programming coming up.

1:52

Good afternoon, board.

1:54

Uh to start off the programming report, I just wanted to talk a little bit about programs that we have going on.

2:00

Right now Champions Basketball started on March 17th.

2:04

Uh so we had 19 participants for this over two sessions.

2:09

Uh here you have some photos from 2026.

2:12

You can see all the volunteers in there, along with Coach Melina Woon Avery, along with Terry Ryer, uh, and the Rider Committee for Special Education.

2:22

Can't thank them enough for their partnership.

2:25

And I'm happy also to announce Rinder Champions Bowling, which is starting this Sunday.

2:30

And again, Paul and Laura will be spearheading this one.

2:35

This is the third annual Radner Champions Bowling.

2:38

However, it's the first time in partnership with Radner Township Parks of Recreation.

2:42

They already had a really good following, so we thought of it as a seamless transition and collaboration for us to be able to market it for them and continue on with our writer champions programming.

2:56

So Little Sticks Lacrosse started today at the Willows.

3:00

Uh they had reached out to the Parks Rec department in 2024.

3:05

Um, they were mainly based in New Jersey.

3:09

So we were looking for them to expand a little bit in PA, and they certainly did when they reach out to us in 2020 or this year, or actually, I'm sorry, last year in 2025.

3:18

So for us, we get a lot of requests as Radner is a premier area in high traffic.

3:24

So for us, we have to sift through all these program vendors and see the best fit for Radner Township.

3:31

So part of that is we get testimonials.

3:33

Little Six had a very impressive testimonial from the president of the Philadelphia Wings, along with the Township of West Hampton and Newtown.

3:41

So their session started off today with a quick turnaround, and they have over 40 participants over three sessions.

3:48

And again, just to give a bit more of an update on programming that has happened.

3:53

We had our spring break camp with World Cup Sports Academy.

3:57

That was last week for spring break, and then spring juniors with World Cup started last Wednesday.

4:03

Again, we feel that there is a huge opportunity for soccer growth with there being the World Cup this summer.

4:09

It's gonna be very busy down in Philadelphia.

4:12

Uh so again, we're just trying to increase our soccer programming to accommodate that.

4:20

Our introduction to fishing kicks off this uh Saturday over at the Willows Pond with hiking hounds.

4:27

Uh this is a catch and release program.

4:31

And Andy and Megan, they have all their certifications in terms of their uh biology, ecology, and things like that.

4:39

Um they also on Sunday are leading a meditation hike.

4:42

Uh Christina Rios will be there to take some pictures and stuff like that.

4:46

So the three weeks that we have for intro to fishing is also sold out along with their fishing camp.

4:53

Something for next year we're looking to increase the programming for them.

4:56

Uh the fishing was super popular this year.

5:01

And last but not least, I'm excited to announce Child's Play with Howard Childs.

5:09

Child's Play is a program based on the development of kids from the inside out of basketball.

5:16

In order to, as Howard said, get to the three-point line, like Steph Curry, you must develop the fundamentals.

5:23

Howard brings in over 13 years of coaching experience, including AAU, Phoenixville area positive alternatives, along with J Rate Basketball Camp at Villano Villanova University.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Parks and Recreation█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████7%
Public Engagement█████7%
Fiscal Sustainability████6%
Tree Planting Regulations███4%
Public Safety███4%
Procedural██3%
Technology and Innovation█2%
Community Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Parks & Recreation Board Meeting - April 9, 2026

The Radnor Township Parks & Recreation Board met on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Radnorshire Room. The board approved minutes, received reports on programming, community events, and park projects, and discussed future plans for Odorisio Park, Fenimore Woods, trail improvements, and capital budgeting. Public comments were heard, and several decisions were made.

Consent Calendar

  • Minutes Approved: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the March 12, 2026 meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Bess Yates (309 West Wayne Avenue) expressed support for more challenging playground equipment for older children (middle school age) at Odorisio Park, suggesting a ninja course or similar features to encourage unstructured play for that age group. She noted a lack of such amenities in the township.

Discussion Items

  • Programming Updates: Vikir reported on current and upcoming programs: Champions Basketball (19 participants over two sessions), Champions Bowling (third annual, first partnership with Radnor Township), Little Sticks Lacrosse (over 40 participants over three sessions), spring break camp, fishing programs (sold out), and a new program "Child's Play" with Howard Childs. Revenue splits with vendors were discussed (typically 75-25 or 80-20), with the township retaining full non-resident fees. Vendors are selected based on revenue, satisfaction, and participation. The top five vendors by volume are World Cup Sports Academy, Universal Rackets, Skyhawks, Champions Photics, and Soccer Shots. Insurance and safety standards are strictly enforced; a major vendor was recently let go for non-compliance.
  • Community Events: Upcoming events include Arbor Day tree planting (April 24 at the Willows), Earth Day, Wheels of Wayne (April 26), Youth Trout Derby (sold out, waitlist available), Great American Backyard Campout (May 30), and a bus trip to see "Wicked" in NYC (two seats remaining, $210 per person). The Willows arboretum and labeled trees at Ithan Valley Park were highlighted.
  • Fenimore Woods Park Renovations Update: Construction of the stable and pavilion is progressing. The stable now has siding, shingles, gutters, bathroom tiling, and electrical work. The pavilion footings and steel framework are installed. Completion is expected early to midsummer. Funding is in good standing due to a $200,000 settlement and a $50,000 grant, with a potential additional grant pending. Change orders on the stable are only $13,000. The playground and pond remain unfunded.
  • Odorisio Park Playground Discussion: The board planned a public input session on playground equipment for the May 14 meeting via Zoom to increase community participation. The project has been under discussion since February 2022. A conceptual plan was reviewed in February 2025 and recommended to the Board of Commissioners in February 2026. The board agreed to keep the playground as a 5,000-6,000 square foot placeholder and continue planning.
  • Capital Budget Planning: The board will review the township's capital plan in June to prioritize projects. Odorisio Park is expected to be a top priority, with park impact funds earmarked for it by previous board recommendations. Other aging playgrounds (BoConnor, Cowan, North Wayne) also need replacement.
  • Trail Projects – Emergency Markers: A new trail marker system (color-coded with QR codes) has been installed on the orange trail at Skunk Hollow, with about 40-45 markers total. The system is designed to improve emergency response and help trail users navigate. Cell phone coverage remains a concern; the board noted a moratorium on cell towers in parks. The markers were installed by an Eagle Scout candidate; further installation and integration with 911 are ongoing.
  • Skunk Hollow Culvert Update: The culvert replacement process is awaiting DEP permit feedback. A temporary structure may be installed for public works access, but the trail will remain closed to the public until full replacement. An update will be provided to the Board of Commissioners on April 27.
  • Other Trail Updates: The Conestoga entrance to the Radnor Trail (Brookside sidewalk) project was discussed; meetings with PennDOT are scheduled. The TAP Trail extension to Haverford Township needs a bridge or alternative crossing; a resident has expressed interest in advocacy.
  • Parks & Recreation Board Member Park Steward Program: Board members were assigned parks for ongoing monitoring (list read aloud). New member Jay received North Wayne, Fenimore Park, Cowan, and Stewart Ride Memorial. Jenna was not assigned and will be contacted.

Key Outcomes

  • Odorisio Public Input Postponed: The public comment session on playground equipment will be held via Zoom on May 14, 2026.
  • Fenimore Woods Project On Track: Construction continues with stable and pavilion; funding sufficient through grants and settlement.
  • Trail Markers Installed: Orange trail markers are in place; remaining colors to be installed soon.
  • Steward Assignments Updated: New assignments distributed; additional assignments pending for Jenna.
  • Meeting Adjourned: The meeting was adjourned without objection.

Meeting Transcript

And just moving to the minutes. Hopefully the board had an opportunity to look over the minutes. I just need a uh motion to approve the minutes. I'll make a motion and a second. With no objections, minutes will be approved. Um moving on to reports. Before we go to reports, I just want to acknowledge our new member, Jay, who's on the board. Welcome. We've had the opportunity to uh speak just before about uh uh stewardship assignments, and it's something that we'll hopefully in future meetings be able to cover for uh uh uh members of the board to be responsible for for our local parks. Uh with that said, Jay, do you have any comments to the public before we start? Uh just in fairness. Uh listen, I'm I'm thrilled uh to join the board. Had a lot of uh respect and admiration for its work, and I think it's really one of the crown jewels of the township. So well done, folks. Thanks, Jay. Um with that said, uh Tammy, um, we could go directly into reports if you'd like, or if you wanted to change the schedule. Uh thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think we will we'll jump right into reports. Um we'll follow the the order of the agenda as we had planned. Um and what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna let Vikir go ahead and start talking about some of the programming coming up. Good afternoon, board. Uh to start off the programming report, I just wanted to talk a little bit about programs that we have going on. Right now Champions Basketball started on March 17th. Uh so we had 19 participants for this over two sessions. Uh here you have some photos from 2026. You can see all the volunteers in there, along with Coach Melina Woon Avery, along with Terry Ryer, uh, and the Rider Committee for Special Education. Can't thank them enough for their partnership. And I'm happy also to announce Rinder Champions Bowling, which is starting this Sunday. And again, Paul and Laura will be spearheading this one. This is the third annual Radner Champions Bowling. However, it's the first time in partnership with Radner Township Parks of Recreation. They already had a really good following, so we thought of it as a seamless transition and collaboration for us to be able to market it for them and continue on with our writer champions programming. So Little Sticks Lacrosse started today at the Willows. Uh they had reached out to the Parks Rec department in 2024. Um, they were mainly based in New Jersey. So we were looking for them to expand a little bit in PA, and they certainly did when they reach out to us in 2020 or this year, or actually, I'm sorry, last year in 2025. So for us, we get a lot of requests as Radner is a premier area in high traffic. So for us, we have to sift through all these program vendors and see the best fit for Radner Township. So part of that is we get testimonials. Little Six had a very impressive testimonial from the president of the Philadelphia Wings, along with the Township of West Hampton and Newtown. So their session started off today with a quick turnaround, and they have over 40 participants over three sessions. And again, just to give a bit more of an update on programming that has happened. We had our spring break camp with World Cup Sports Academy. That was last week for spring break, and then spring juniors with World Cup started last Wednesday. Again, we feel that there is a huge opportunity for soccer growth with there being the World Cup this summer. It's gonna be very busy down in Philadelphia. Uh so again, we're just trying to increase our soccer programming to accommodate that. Our introduction to fishing kicks off this uh Saturday over at the Willows Pond with hiking hounds. Uh this is a catch and release program.

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