PARK AND RECREATION BOARD
NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP
MINUTES OF MARCH 6, 2002
Approval of the Minutes of March 6, 2002
The Newtown Township Park and
Recreation Board met on March 6, 2002. In attendance and voting were: Bernard
Bires, Chairman; Andrew Levine, Vice-Chairman; John Davis; Joel Grosso; Kathy Kelly;
Buck O'Neill; Russell G. Strover; and Susan Sutton, members. Also in attendance
were Bill Wert, Park and Recreation Director and Richard Weaver and Scott Harp,
Supervisors.
Mr. Bires called the meeting to
Order at 8:00PM.
Mr. Wert was very pleased to
announce that Russell G. Strover of the Park and Recreation Board has been
selected as the winner of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Lay
Honor Award, its highest honor for community Park and Recreation volunteers.
The award will be presented at the PRPS Annual Conference and Awards Banquet at
the Adams Mark Hotel on Tuesday, March 26, 2002. Mr. Wert was also proud to
announce that the Park and Recreation Department Brochure won the PRPS award
for Community Program Publication.
Mr. Bires extended the heartfelt
congratulations of the Park and Recreation Board to Mr. Strover.
Approval of the Minutes of
February 6, 2002
Mr. Strover noted that the Shade Tree Commission Report should read that "labels are to be ordered".
Mrs. Sutton moved to accept the minutes as amended. Mr. Strover
seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
New Business
Tudor Square Phase III – Preliminary Plan
Mr. Bill Messick of Tudor Square explained to the Board that his firm
intended to add a third building to its office complex in Newtown Commons. The
footprint of the building will be 15,152 square feet. The new building will be
next to Sovereign Bank, backing up to the cemetery and the Law School
Admissions Council Building. There is very little open space available in this
commercial area, and Mr. Messick hopes that the Board will recommend accepting
a fee of approximately $19,365.00. The exact amount of the fee is determined by
the code department.
Mr. Levine moved to accept a fee in lieu of Open Space from Tudor Square.
Mr. Strover seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Durham Road Associates – Preliminary Plan
Mr. David Pinchuk of Durham Road Associates presented his firm's plan
to develop property on Durham Road as three office buildings. The project will
be built in phases, the first building having a 19,000 square foot footprint.
The total square footage for the project will be 87,000 square feet. Mr.
Pinchuk said that it was his understanding that if the Board were to recommend
a fee in lieu of Open Space, that he would pay the fee at the time each
building permit was issued.
Mrs. Sutton moved to accept a fee in lieu of Open Space from Durham
Road Associates. Mr. Grosso seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Bires noted that nobody had appeared representing the Hoffa Tract
and that it would be continued to the April meeting.
Old Business
Playground Sub-Committee Report
Mr. Levine reported that he, Mr. Grosso and Mr. O'Neill had met with
the representatives of Landscape Structures and Boyce Associates. Mr. Levine
said that the sub-committee referred to the guidelines originally given to the
playground contractors by the Park and Open Space Committee, and with that in
mind, felt that Boyce Associates/Little Tykes met all of the criteria in an aesthetically
pleasing way. The sub-committee
recommended that the Board consider a pre-packaged playground featuring
a ship theme play area for 5 to 12 year olds, and a smaller structure for 2 to
5 year olds. The structure will meet all of the requirements set forth by the
Open Space Committee and this Board, including theme play, climbing events,
some roof covered areas for shade, all in natural colors of brown, tan and
green.
Mr. Wert said that the mini-play area for smaller children is not under
State Contract at this time, but that Boyce expects that it will be on April 1,
2002. This is not definite, however.
Mr. Levine said that the sub-committee had discussed safety surfacing
at length with the representatives. They thought that mulch would be much less
expensive than tile or poured in place surfacing. They were, however,
considering using the tile under the small children's equipment and mulch for
the rest of the playground.
Mr. Wert said that Boyce had told him that Rubbermaid/Little Tykes had
developed a poured in place safety surface that could be delivered pre-mixed,
rather than mixed on site, and that this is a big improvement. The new surface
meets all Federal and State safety standards and has been tested and approved
for use in children's playgrounds. Rubbermaid is looking for a demonstration
playground in the Philadelphia area for this new product. Boyce is working to
have Roberts Ridge Park chosen as the demonstration site, and if chosen, there
may be a substantial discount for the surface. It could mean a savings of as
much as $4500.00.
Mr. Levine said that the cost for this playground including equipment,
safety surface and installation is estimated at $100,772.95. This does not
include site preparations such as drainage and grading.
Mr. Weaver questioned if the sub-committee had considered installation
by a committee of volunteers.
Mr. Levine said that the sub-committee discussed this with
representatives from Morrisville's and Doylestown's playground committees and
had decided that for reasons of safety and liability, professional installation was the better choice.
Mr. Wert said that once a plan is chosen by the Board and submitted to
the Supervisors for approval, he can show it to the Township Engineers to begin
planning site preparation, such as grading, drainage and fall zones. There will
be additional costs involved with this. Mr. Wert said that the Board of
Supervisors must approve the plan, then he would work with Boyce Associates and
the Engineers to plan the site and order the equipment. If the order is placed
by April 1, 2002, there may be an additional discount.
Mr. Harp invited the sub-committee to present the plan to the Board of
Supervisors at the work session to be held on March 18, 2002, and then at the
televised Township Meeting on March 27, 2002.
Mrs. Sutton moved to recommend the large playground plan, with an
estimated cost of $100,772.95, to the Board of Supervisors. Mr. Grosso seconded
and the motion passed unanimously.
Liaison Reports
Capital Planning – there
was no report
Planning Commission – there
was no report
Board of Supervisors –
Mr. Harp reported that the Board is eager to have park plans underway, and
thanked the sub-committee for the work they have done.
Shade Tree Commission – Mr. Strover suggested that in the future, the Shade Tree Commission
appear as "Old Business" on the agenda.
Mr. Strover reported that he was participating in a seminar with the
Pennsylvania Cooperative Extension and other organizations on public tree
planting, pruning and maintenance at Bucks County Community College. The
seminar will use trees in Swamp Road Park for this seminar. He is also
conducting a class on tree planting, pruning and maintenance with the park and
Recreation Department on March 23 at Roberts Ridge Park.
There are six trees that have yet to be planted at Roberts Ridge Park
form last fall. One will be planted as part of the Planting class. There is a
$3000.00 grant outstanding for trees to form a grove along the site of the
proposed gazebo in Roberts Ridge Park.
Mrs. Sutton reported that she is working with Goodnoe Elementary School
and Newtown Borough to participate in an Arbor Day program. Fifth Grade Cub
Scouts will plant trees in Roberts Ridge Park, then walk to Linton Peaceable
Kingdom Park on Lincoln Avenue to the activities the Borough is sponsoring,
including games and crafts. Mr. Harp will be participating in the ceremony, and
has donated a tree that will be planted along Municipal Drive.
Park and Recreation Director's Report
Mr. Wert reported that participation in the Winter 2002 programs has
increased 16% over last year in enrollment, and 11% in revenue.
Summer Day Camp registration is March 20, 2002 at 5:30PM. He asked if
some committee members would volunteer to help with the sign-up. He anticipated
that all programs would fill up quickly. He explained that he had added a
pre-teen program at Goodnoe Elementary School for children completing sixth
through eighth grades, and had eliminated the regular day camp at Goodnoe. He
said that last year had seen an increase in the older children and he felt that
by adding this program, he could still accommodate the first through fifth
graders at Newtown Elementary camp. The Camp Beechtree half day program for 4
to 5 year olds will still meet at Goodnoe School.
Mr. Wert provided the Board members with catalogs for the PRPS
Conference at the Adams Mark Hotel and suggested that the members interested
should attend the Tuesday, March 26th program which would feature a Citizen
Board Symposium and the awards banquet at which Mr. Strover would be honored.
Mr. Wert reported that the
softball and baseball leagues had applied for permits to use the Township
fields for the Spring. Public Works will begin preparing the fields. New home
plates and fence toppers are to be added this year.
Mr. Wert is continuing to meet with the Township Engineers on bringing
electricity to Roberts Ridge Park. He hopes to have more information at the
next meeting.
The Park and Recreation Department will advertise for the NFL flag
football program in the Spring Brochure, and with flyers sent to children
through the schools for this fall activity. Mr. O'Neill will work with Mr. Wert
to recruit coaches, form teams and organize the league. Mr. O'Neill suggested
that the Township and the newly formed Newtown Athletic Association discuss
working together on the flag football league.
Member Comments
Mr. O'Neill said that he would like to attend the Supervisors work
session to discuss the Little League batting cage and a proposed storage shed
at Chandler Field.
Mr. Grosso moved to recommend to the Board of Supervisors that they approve the shed.
Mrs. Kelly seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Harp announced that the First Fourth celebration is in the process
of seeking approval for use of the High School, and he hopes that the Park and
Recreation Board would work on this committee.
Mr. Levine moved to adjourn at 10:15. Mrs. Sutton seconded and the motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted,
______________________
Mary Donaldson, Recording Secretary