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In Clearfield ... Borough looks to improve Kurtz Park
Saturday, September 15, 2012
By Jeff Corcino Staff Writer
The Clearfield Borough Council discussed further improvements to Kurtz Park at its committee meetings Thursday.
The borough recently installed a new playground apparatus at Kurtz Park at a cost of $32,559 using Community Development Block Grant funds, but the company, Bitting Recreation, sent the wrong color scheme. The apparatus was supposed to be green, butterscotch and red, but they sent one that was red, white and blue.
To correct its error borough operations manager Leslie Stott said the company was willing to come back and remove the playground equipment and install new one with the correct color scheme, but said she instead negotiated a deal where the company would sell and install its "Prime Time Rumble-N-Roll" playground apparatus at a large discount to the borough.
She said it would normally cost $9,500 to purchase and install this piece of playground equipment but the company agreed to do it for a total cost of $3,000 to compensate the borough for sending the wrong color.
Stott said the borough has more than $10,000 remaining in its recreation account so they do have the money to pay for it.
She said the new apparatus would be for children aged 2-5 years, and would make a good complement to the current playground equipment in the park, which is a bit too large for the smaller children.
Stott also said it would have red, white and blue color scheme to match the colors of the other playground equipment in the park.
The Planning and Community Development Committee couldn't vote on a recommendation because they did not have a quorum due to the absence of council members Patricia Kavelak and Richard Stewart so it will be put to a vote by council at its meeting next week without a recommendation from the committee.
Stott also said Joe Benedek of Clearfield has offered to refurbish the backboards of the basketball court at the park this winter and said the borough crew will install them with new rims for use next year.
She also said they are also looking at getting the lines repainted on the basketball court as well.
Councilman Jim Kling thanked Stott for her work to improve the park.
In other business:
• Stott reported the borough is being forced to return $37,290 plus interest in unused grant funds from the Department of Conservation of Natural Resources.
The total amount of the grant was approximately $150,000 to be used for upgrades to Upper Witmer Park, the Bucky Strunk Softball Field and the riverwalk but only one of these projects, Upper Witmer Park, was completed and the time limit on the grant expired over a year ago.
The borough is planning to install a riverwalk that would loop on both sides of the river between the Nichols and Market street bridges but the project was delayed by the borough's former developer, Bob Yoder of Impact PA of Turbotsville.
Yoder was planning to construct the riverwalk as a part of a larger project to construct a number of residential and commercial properties in downtown Clearfield. The borough secured a $5 million state Redevelopment Capital Assistance grant but the project fell through after he failed to secure private financing for the project.
The Clearfield County Economic Development Authority has since taken over the project and still plans to construct the riverwalk and Stott said they likely would be submitting an application for a DCNR grant to pay for a portion of the riverwalk project.
As for the softball field, Stott said the softball association was planning on installing some lighting improvements at the softball field but it was unable to raise enough money to pay for the 50 percent local match required for the grant.
Stott said she tried to get the remaining grant funds shifted to other projects, but DCNR denied the request because the grant was awarded for these specific projects.
• the Public Safety Committee voted to recommend setting Trick-or-Treat Day for Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. Residents participating should turn on their outside lights.
The committee also voted to approve the street closures of Stadium Drive, McBride Street and Park Street for the annual Kiwanis Halloween Parade on Oct. 30.
• Street Foreman Steve Biancuzzo announced the borough will be conducting smoke testing on the sanitary sewer system in West Side starting at the corner of Seventh Street and Nichols Street. He said the smoke is not harmful and if some enters a home to just open the windows.
The borough is conducting the smoke testing to find improper storm water connections to the sewer system.
• the Personnel Committee voted to recommend hiring Howard Hunt as a part-time recycling employee at a wage of $7.50 an hour.
• The borough also released its fall curbside leaf pickup schedule. It is as follows: West Side of the river, Oct. 1, 15, 29 and Nov. 12; East Side of the river, Oct. 8, 22, Nov. 5 and 19.
For this pickup leaves are to be put in biodegradable bags and placed between the sidewalk and curb and are not to be raked onto the street.
The borough will be conducting bagless leaf collection sometime starting in late October, Biancuzzo said, and signs will be placed on the streets beforehand to notify when it is occurring.
Leaves also can be dropped of at the borough's compost site on 21st Street between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the following Saturdays, Oct. 27, Nov. 3, 10 and 17.
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