Officials are making future plans for Coleman Memorial Park. Here's a look at their ideas.
A new pool and getting kids active were among suggestions from residents said they wanted to see as officials rolled out their recommendations for future plans and developments for Coleman Memorial Park.
More that 35 city officials and residents discussed the master plan for the park at a special meeting Feb. 27, which was conducted by representatives of Simone Collins Landscape Architecture. Representatives of the Norristown-based firm said the original plan was out of date.
"We did the master plan back in 2011, and since then several of the master plan recommendations have been implemented by the city," said Peter Simone, the president of the firm. "Updates to the plan are required for additional funding, and the goal is to work with (the city) to help plan these future improvements."
The firm's new draft's proposed improvements for the park include additional trails and parking, the removal of the mini golf course to be replaced with a frisbee golf course, additional pickleball courts, a skate park, the additions of two dog parks, a native plant garden, and a potential education and activities center next to the disc golf course.
Project team members also recommended the creation of a splash pad where the former Gingrich Memorial Swimming Pool stood, stating that the existing water and sewer system would help with the proposed project. The pool was demolished in 2021, with officials citing increasing repair and operation costs, declining attendance and a crumbling facility.
"We didn't want to tear down the pool," said George Rodriguez, Coleman Park Board of Trustees member. "Being on the board all these years, we fought, we played with numbers, we moved things around, we tried to do other things ... the numbers just didn't make sense. We would have kept losing money. So do we keep losing money, or do we take that money and funds and put it to other things that kids could be active or actually do?"
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Several residents advocated for a new community pool to be built instead of a splash pad, adding it offers more options for children in the area. Citing a lack of public transportation and a need for activities for students in the city, residents said they wanted to be active especially in the summer months.
"When you do a new pool, there's a whole feasibility process you go through ... but it's a separate process and it's a huge process," Collins said. "A new pool is probably in the order of $3 to $4 million dollars, at least."
A new pool was one of the suggestions in an online poll released by the architecture firm, which had 498 responses as of Monday. While the poll remains active till March 6, 74% of residents say the park is meeting residents needs for outdoor and recreational space.
Residents responding to the same poll said that their main concerns for Coleman Park include long-term maintenance, vandalism, and continuing to maintain the park's history.
During the special meeting, residents suggested projects that included greater accessibility for the elderly, the inclusion of trash cans, better advertisements for park services and a community garden for native plants.
Steve Wolf, of North Lebanon Township, said that Coleman Park is enjoyed by residents in both the city and surrounding areas. Along with a continuation of events like the fireworks, having a bike or skate park might get more kids actively taking advantage of the park's resources.
"You got to get these kids off the streets and get them doing something," he said to residents at the meeting.
Simone Collins Landscape Architecture is planning a city review and passage of the final draft of the master plan by city officials by March 17. City officials are applying for Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Nation Resources Funding.
"We've grown a lot," Rodriguez said. "You're going to see a lot more events, you're going to see a lot more programs. We want our park open to all groups that come with different things for our teenagers (and) our youth. Come up with an idea, bring it to our board."
Meetings for the Coleman Park Board of Trustees are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the park. View a copy of the presentation shown at the Feb. 27 special meeting at the Lebanon Daily News website.
Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on Twitter at @DAMattToth.
This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: City officials looking for residents input in developing Coleman Park
