LOCK HAVEN - Peddie Park is full of potential, and a class of Lock Haven University students explored it recently.
Five university seniors brought their "Peddie Park Proposal" to City Council Monday night. The proposal was created in the Recreation Management class taught by Lenny Long.
Peddie Park, which is off Route 120, consists of 70 acres, only 10 of them developed for recreation so far, according to student Paige Ambrose. It features views of the river, but is close to the noise of train tracks and the highway.
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Lock Haven University seniors, from left, Alexis Garcia, Travis Kolovich, Paige Ambrose, Kasey Blesh and Christina Ohmott presented their Peddie Park Proposal to City Council on Monday.
The park is used by the Sunday Softball League, the Men's 35 and Over Softball League, the Women's Softball League, the Coed Softball League and Central Mountain High School Softball.
It has two softball fields, one multi-purpose field and a "comfort station," as the students described it. It also has minimal storage, no designated parking and a railroad crossing without warning devices.
The students propose to add a nine-hole Frisbee golf course, two pavilions that could include increased storage space, a walking trail, a playground, designated parking, lights and other amenities.
Modern traffic warnings at the railroad crossing could cost much less than going with a traditional system, student Alexis Garcia told council. The Transportation Research Board is launching a more efficient crossing system, she said, that uses new technologies like solar power, LED signals, microwave detection, global positioning and radio communication. Such a system might be had for $15,000 to $30,000, she said, compared with $80,000 to $150,000 for a traditional system.
She also identified funding sources the city could explore that would help pay for it.
Kasey Blesh outlined other needs at the park including:
- New backstops at a cost of anywhere from $1,200 to $8,300
- New dugouts for both fields, which the CMHS coach requested
- New goal posts which could run from $1,400 to $2,600
- A path to the comfort station
- Parking that could be paved in Poly Pavement, a blend of acrylic polymers that is reportedly safe for humans and environmentally friendly and costs 9 cents per foot at the low end.
Travis Kolovich told council high-pressure sodium lights would be a good option for the park because they reportedly are low maintenance. Each bulb, however, costs $1,000, the same amount as each pole, he said, according to a quote from a company in Bradford.
Christina Ohmott assured council a Frisbee golf course would draw LHU students as well as members of the general public.
She also talked about a Poly Pavement walking path around the developed section of the park that could include benches.
The students also suggested bike racks and trash cans be purchased.
"It's a beautiful park," Alexis said.
Mayor Richard P. Vilello Jr., who had received a more detailed presentation of the proposal earlier, praised the students' work.
"I really like the idea of the walking path," he said.
