MONDAY UPDATE: Scranton installs temporary deck surfaces on Nay Aug Park overlooks

Dec. 19—SCRANTON — The city covered the dilapidated surfaces of a pair of scenic overlook decks along Nay Aug Park's popular Davis Trail with new lumber as a temporary fix ahead of a more permanent deck replacement project.

City parks and recreation workers completed work last month on the Doe Overlook deck that gives visitors a view of the double tunnel from the lower portion of the Davis Trail, and on the Doodle Overlook deck high above the park's rocky gorge.

Scranton issued a public notice in September 2021 seeking bids to replace the weathered, damaged decks, but later decided to break the project up and first focus on the higher-priority Doodle Overlook. The city rebid the project late last year after the AZEK Co. offered to donate PVC deck boards and installation hardware to support the effort.

Ephrata-based Mar-Allen Concrete Products Inc. submitted a $46,534 bid for the Doodle Overlook work, but Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti noted in an email that the firm never acquired a city contractor license and the bid expired.

Officials are now targeting the spring for the deck replacements using building materials AZEK offered to donate, said Bob Gattens, chairman of the Scranton Municipal Recreation Authority that oversees Nay Aug Park. The city and authority are also exploring the potential of using donated labor for the deck replacement project, Gattens said.

"We have reached out to a couple of entities for labor assistance but do not yet have a formal arrangement," Cognetti said in her email.

Scranton secured last year and has available a $35,102 state Greenways, Trails and Recreation program grant to support the project.

Prior to the most recent temporary fix, workers had used plywood to patch areas on the previously damaged decks where lumber seams rotted through and created holes. The damaged decking on both overlooks dates to around 2008-09.

"I thought it was a good idea to have it covered as a temporary fix," Gattens said, noting the Davis Trail is used year round. "At least now there is solid footing there."

Cognetti's email notes the city completed the temporary repairs because of safety concerns.

"The city, along with our engineer and (the Scranton Municipal Recreation Authority), are developing a permanent solution using the Greenways, Trails, and Recreation grant, a generous donation from AZEK and assistance from community partners," Cognetti wrote.

Reached late last week, AZEK Vice President of Operations Bill Barrett said the company is committed to providing building materials for the city and other community projects.

"And we're still absolutely committed to providing the decking surface and installation hardware for the decking at Nay Aug," Barrett said.

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