A new park is closer to becoming a reality thanks to a $100,000 grant the Borough of Hellertown has been awarded.
State Sen. Lisa Boscola’s (D-18) office announced the award for Reinhard’s Park Tuesday in a news release that highlighted several other grants for local municipalities.
“This state funding through the Marcellus Legacy Fund will aid our local governments to improve the quality of life in their municipalities through increased recreational opportunities and protecting our environment,” Boscola said. “I’m pleased to announce the approval of these funds to help expedite important projects throughout the 18th Senatorial District.”
Hellertown’s funding will be used for the Phase I development of Reinhard’s Park; a recreation area that will incorporate part of the former Reinhard School property on Northampton Street.
Borough manager Cathy Hartranft said last May that plans for the park include improvements to the existing baseball field, the addition of a gazebo, a native plant garden, installing a natural buffer area featuring native vegetation, installing crosswalks and ADA improvements.
The grants were approved by the state Commonwealth Financing Authority Board in Harrisburg, the release said. Funding through the Marcellus Legacy Fund uses revenue generated through Act 13 of 2012 that imposes an impact fee on the state’s unconventional natural gas wells.
