January News-Briefs

(1/30) Town purchases 12 acres with POS funding

The Town also utilized $227,123 of Program Open Space funds that were awarded in 2022 to purchase a 12-acre parcel of land adjacent to the bowling alley on Pennsylvania Avenue. The parcel’s proximity to the community park is beneficial, increasing the park’s size from 52 acres to 64. The original asking price was $275,000 and after the Town had the property appraised, they offered $250,000, which was the official purchase price. This means the Town is responsible for the remaining $22,877.

Town Manager Sean Williams said there are no immediate plans to do anything with the parcel but, in the future, they will be looking into plans for the acreage. As for now, Commissioner Bob Yoder asked if the Town had plans to block the entrance off to prevent damage to the already muddy area. Currently, the bowling alley next door is known to utilize the property for parking in all conditions, including wet and rainy. This causes the grass field to turn into a mud pit which is not a desirable condition.

Williams said it was something that would need to be discussed, however it is an option. "The Town will need to have some sort of access to the property in order to mow it," he said. "If the goal is to not let any parking on that property at all then you [the Council] will need to make a decision." He did suggest that Public Works should be able to work out a ‘natural looking’ solution that would still allow the bowling alley to use the field without overusing it and damaging it. Director of Public Works Joseph Birch agreed to investigate options and present them at a future meeting.

Parking concerns at Heritage Park

January’s wet and snowy weather reminded the Parks Commission about issues with visitors parking in the grass at Heritage Park when attending sports events. Commissioner Liaison Chris Ragen asked what they could do to lessen the damage that parking on the grass could cause. "We either need to expand the parking lots or block the grass areas off," he said. "If we continue to use the grass, it will turn into mud."

As of now, most visitors park in the grass near the field they are attending. These grass areas are a lot closer than using the established lacrosse field parking lot. Member Kevin Conley added his concern that the long walk for families with small children and the elderly from the lacrosse lot would prove to be too much for most, thus alternatives are necessary.

One alternative to blocking the grass areas off is to build an impermeable parking surface near the softball field or fields four and five, as this would give visitors a shorter walking distance to the softball field. Although the Commission has discussed this before, it comes down to being too expensive at this time because of major infrastructure projects currently under way in Town.

Conley asked if there have been any repairs to the grassy areas due to overuse over the years. Director of Public Works Joseph Birch replied that there really hasn’t been any impact, however there are multiple signs asking cars to stay off the grass.

"It's a behavior issue. People will park in the grass because it is convenient," said Ragen. He pointed out that the T-Ball field is especially at risk of long-term damage because there is no parking nearby except a grassy area. With no clear path ahead at this time, the Commission will continue to work with Town staff on brainstorming solutions to this problem.

Railroad introduces plans for renovations

With increasing concerns over pedestrian safety and traffic speed concerns, the Walkersville Southern Railroad Representatives reintroduced plans to upgrade the crossing on West Pennsylvania Avenue along with improvements to the area around the train station. The original concept plans were introduced in 2022 and have been approved by the State.

The improvements include new lights at the crossing, replacing asphalt and brick work, renovations to the "Ice House" across the street and upgrades to the small, Town-owned park nicknamed the "Potato Patch" nestled between West Pennsylvania Avenue and Ports Circle.

All the work is projected to cost $800,000, however the Town owned portion is currently not covered. This is the main reason for the railroad's representatives coming to the Town Council. They are asking for the Town to pay for the small park’s improvements that will provide parking and a safe place for train enthusiasts to congregate.

Paul Kovalcik, the president of the Railroad, was present at the January meeting to ask the Town to approve the $38,300 estimate. According to Kovalcik, the park (which is currently a small area of pavers and three benches) is the primary spot for people to line up for loading and unloading from the train. Train enthusiasts also congregate in the road, leading to safety concerns.

The Town would be responsible for any maintenance to the small park. However, Kovalcik said an agreement could be drafted between the Town and the Railroad that would allow the Railroad to take over basic maintenance, such as trash cleanup and mowing.

Commissioner Russ Winch was in favor of the Project but asked if the Railroad would be able to get more than one bid to make sure they were getting the best value for their dollar.

Commissioner Bob Yoder asked if the Town’s current fiscal budget (24/25) had the funds for the Project or if it could wait until next year’s budget. Williams suggested the Council consider utilizing some of the sidewalk repair fund, totaling $250,000, set aside last year that hasn’t been touched. Otherwise, waiting until after July 1 for the next budget year would be a better solution. Yoder approved of waiting for the next fiscal budget, especially since the small park could be updated last, bringing it well into the summer season.

After discussing options, a motion was made and approved with the stipulation of not exceeding the estimated $38,300 and that more bids would be obtained to make sure that the Railroad gets the most cost-effective options.