HAWLEY - Hawley Council approved partial payment from a DCNR grant for the tennis/ pickle ball court project, but it was conditional on knowing how this will affect future uses of Bingham Park.

HAWLEY - Hawley Council approved partial payment from a DCNR grant for the tennis/ pickle ball court project, but it was conditional on knowing how this will affect future uses of Bingham Park.
The discussion ensued at the July 10th Council meeting, after a presentation about the dual projects in the northwest corner of the park, nearest the corner with Main Avenue and Hudson Street: reconstruction of the present tennis courts and the neighboring softball field.
It came up at the meeting that certain deed restrictions come with the funding for the tennis project, that speaks of restricting non-recreation use of the site. Council needed to know to what extent this applies and to confirm if exceptions can be granted. The park is frequently the place for activities not related to recreation in the same sense as sports or athletics, such as the farmer’s market, arts and crafts fairs and the new this year: the free summer lunch program for children.
Borough Solicitor Robert Bernathy was tasked with researching the matter and reporting back to Council with his findings.

$70,000 grant

Joseph Adams and James Shook, representing the group of local citizens and civic leaders that proposed and are helping to coordinate the comprehensive upgrade of Bingham Park, brought an update and requests before Council in July. The group made the proposal in 2017, which was ultimately approved by Council in March 2018. Shook also volunteers with the Borough Parks & Recreation Commission.
The tennis upgrade also involves installation of a new amenity, a pickle ball court. The project is partly funded through a $70,000 grant from the PA Department of Conservation & Natural Resources (DCNR).
Council was asked to vote on a partial payment request of $35,000 so the project can begin, once a contractor is secured. Adams said that they would be ready to go to bid on August 1, 2019, and hopefully be able to finish the project by this fall. Lake Region Community Dock Foundation, overseen by Shook, is contributing $5,000 for the match required for the first half of the DCNR grant.