Counties surrounding Lehigh Valley slow in creating greenway plans

The state had hoped all 67 counties would have adopted plans to identify and preserve greenways -- corridors of meadows, forests and other undeveloped land used for recreation and conservation -- by the end of 2007.

But several counties, including Carbon, Berks and Bucks, have yet to file Comprehensive Greenways Plans. The plans are expected to be in place by the end of 2008, according to the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Lehigh, Northampton, Monroe, Schuylkill and Montgomery counties all have completed their plans.

Carbon County Commissioner Chairman William O'Gurek said his county is doing its greenway plan in conjunction with its comprehensive plan, which maps development, economics, traffic and land use.

''One of the concerns of all three commissioners is that open space and farmland is fast being gobbled up by developers,'' he said. ''We're very much aware of that. The county needs to have smart growth, and we think the best way to do that is to have a comprehensive greenways plan in place to guide government in making decisions in the future.''

Bucks County Commissioner Chairman Charles H. Martin said Bucks has had greenway plans of varying types over the years, including one that would connect county parks by acquiring rights of way to the land between them.

Bucks residents want safe places for recreation, and developing a Comprehensive Greenways Plan will provide that, he said. Residents want the greenways for recreation and for the scenery, he said.

The state is giving 50 percent matching grants, averaging between $50,000 and $150,000, to counties to complete the plans, which it refers to as ''greenprints for growth.''

O'Gurek said Carbon has applied for $72,950.

The program aims to establish a network of greenways that will link ''natural, historic, and scenic landscapes, as well as our cultural and recreational sites,'' according to DCNR.

''The whole theme of greenways plans is connections,'' Williamson said. ''Matching up trails, linking communities with rail-to-trail systems and connecting resources.''

Northampton County Municipalities struggle to work together

A plan that could improve emergency services and help bring state money to a dozen Northampton County municipalities has hit a snag because they don't agree on how to organize themselves.

For a year, the municipalities have discussed forming one of the Lehigh Valley's biggest confederations -- a group that would cover roughly a third of Northampton County and represent nearly a quarter of its population.

But some of the potential members still don't agree on how the group should be set up or whether all the municipalities must first become part of the existing Nazareth Area Council of Governments.

That plan has already turned off supervisors in Lehigh Township, who are interested in forming a regional group but recently rejected joining the Nazareth Area COG, Township Manager Alice Rehrig said.

The Nazareth Area COG plan may also be a tough sell in Northampton, though Borough Manager Gene Zarayko stressed that borough officials ''have an interest in moving forward.''

In December 2006, Northampton Area School District officials proposed forming a new council of governments to help the district's seven municipalities (Lehigh Township, Allen Township, Northampton, Bath, Chapman, East Allen Township and Moore Township) communicate.

Bath, Chapman and the townships of East Allen and Moore -- are part of the COG with Nazareth and Tatamy boroughs, and Lower Nazareth, Upper Nazareth and Bushkill townships, all of which are in Nazareth Area School District.

Joining all these municipalities in a regional supergroup would give local officials a louder voice when dealing with state officials, said Bill Brackbill, the Nazareth Area COG's secretary and business administrator. That could lead to bigger state grants or even to the state Department of Transportation focusing harder on local traffic projects.

Forming a group could also mean better coordination during regional emergencies. The Nazareth Area COG's members have drafted agreements that will make it easier to share fire and police resources, and they're working on a regional emergency management plan, Brackbill said.

Given the Nazareth Area COG's resources and experience, it makes sense to add Northampton and its neighbors to the existing group instead of starting from scratch, Brackbill said.

''The present members of the Nazareth COG are welcoming in these members with open arms,'' he said.

Allen Township and Northampton have both pledged to pay their dues and join the group, though Zarayko said Northampton officials had believed it was going to be only ''a branch or an arm of the Nazareth COG'' instead of the Nazareth-based group itself.

Northampton officials turned down an earlier offer to join that confederation, partially because Northampton seems to have more in common with an adjoining borough like Catasauqua than it does with Nazareth, Zarayko said.

Getting Lehigh Township and Northampton to join the existing COG might be easier if it weren't named after a borough 10 miles away. Brackbill said a name change is ''something that can be considered.''

Despite the rejection from Lehigh Township supervisors, Brackbill has continued to invite that township's representatives to meetings, and he's eager to move forward with all willing municipalities.

''Some people might think the progress is slow,'' he said, but he pointed out that the Nazareth Area COG also took years to build. ''It's a process that eventually will work out.''

Celebrity Bartenders Benefit for PrideGLV

Date: Thursday, December 27, 2007

Time: 8pm-10pm

Place: Allentown Brew Works, 812 Hamilton St, Allentown PA 610-433-7777, www.thebrewworks.com

Join us for our winter bash with Bethlehem native USA Mr. Gay 2008, Jonathan Taylor and Philadelphia Mr. Gay 2007, Andy Petruzelli serve up drinks at the Allentown Brew Works!

All tips, as well asa portion of the proceeds from each drink go to Pride of the Greater Lehigh Valley. As a special bonus, sign up for a Martini Club membership that night and the Brew Works will donate a portion of your membership fee to Pride!

Stop by before the event for dinner in one of the Brew Works three dining areas!

Sponsored and Produced by Velocity Mobile, Boys With Hot Phones Get Laid More, www.velocitymobile.net

Mr. Gay Logo is a trademark of, and used with permission from The Noble Beast Foundation, www.mrgaycompetition.com

SnowBlast Winter Festival

Hosted by the Emmaus Arts Commission, the streets of Emmaus will be filled with more than a dozen free, community-wide outdoor and indoor activities, musical performances, and an affordable ticket for the SnowBlast Blizzard Ball on January 19th. Just like last year, downtown ice sculptures will be featured throughout the SnowBlast weekend. Also on the schedule of events are roving musicians, carriage rides, storytelling, hoot hike, sunrise cross-country skiing, ice skating, Frostbite Fun Run for Kids - and more! For more details visit their website at www.emmausarts.org.

Allentown to invest millions in parks system

Today an article appeared in the Morning Call outlining many things Allentown park director Greg Weitzel told me about a few months ago. As part of a $5.3 million plan, Allentown intends to overhaul much of its park system to update facilities and add new amenities.

Renovate the more than 100-acre Cedar Creek Park, also known as Cedar Beach, in the West End. The park, one of the city's largest, hosts the annual Mayfair and SportsFest events. The renovated park will include a huge playground. The lake also may be dredged. There could be walkways along the creek with signs identifying wildlife, vegetation and trees. Another walkway could include sculptures.

Officials hope to make life easier on brides by allowing them to reserve a time to have photographs taken in the Cedar Creek's Rose Garden. The garden may be dressed up to include paved or brick walkways, which would allow chairs to be used for the first time. A reception area could be in the works, too, and a cafe.

Allentown's oldest park, West Park, will have a year-long series of events to mark its 100th birthday. The celebration will include improvements to the band shell, fountain, war memorials, signs and other amenities. Monthly programs will include scavenger hunts, block parties, an Earth Day party, dinner-and-a-movie nights and concerts.

The disk golf course in Little Lehigh Parkway could be updated in hopes of attracting the state and world championships.

The driving range at the golf course will be enclosed so it can be heated, with the goal of attracting more winter business. Other golf course improvements are expected to include new restrooms, cart paths and bunker sand.

A number of smaller but noticeable changes are planned too. New trash cans, benches, grills, picnic tables, lights and restrooms will be built at several parks. Targeted parks include Roosevelt, Buck Boyle, Percy Ruhe, Little Lehigh Parkway and East Side and South Mountain reservoirs.

Studies should be completed by the end of next year on how the city should proceed with connecting its trails and updating its swimming pools. Also to be studied is where to build Allentown's first dog park, an enclosed area where people can let their pets run leash-free.

The city is creating a ''Friends of the Park'' committee, a tool used in other cities to raise money and enlist volunteers. The committee would be created as a nonprofit organization. Its first meeting is scheduled in January.

A ''remembrance tree'' program is in the works to allow people to honor a loved one by making a donation and planting a tree in their name.

Canal repair delayed but in the works

From the Morning Call:

Running about four months behind schedule because of administrative delays, repairs on the flood damaged Delaware Canal between Easton and Raubsville won't begin until spring at the latest, officials say.

State officials had hoped to begin the $10.9 million repair project in the fall, but it has taken several months to complete a memorandum of understanding among the various state and federal agencies funding the fix, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources spokesman Terry Brady said the state's construction contractor on the project says it may be able to start some of the work in the winter if there is not too much snow and ice.

''So much of the work will be debris removal, silt removal, things that can be done that are not weather dependent,'' Brady said.

The repair work will be done in four sections, starting with the portion of the canal between Easton and Groundhog Lock in Raubsville.

In total, the project is expected to cost between $35 million and $40 million covering repairs all the way down to New Hope.

The repairs are expected to include a new towpath, used by bicyclists, walkers and joggers, that will be less prone to being washed away by flooding.

About $265,664 in repairs to a variety of flood damaged structures including the chain dam crib embankment, Easton fish ladder and Lock 24 are also awaiting administrative approval, Brady said.

Joe Szafran, executive director of Friends of the Delaware River Canal, said getting the repairs done is the first step toward realizing the canal's full potential as a historical and recreational attraction.

NET organizing first annual trade fair

NET is organizing its first-ever trade fair scheduled for the end of April.

Attendees: NetYP Members who would like the opportunity to market or sell their product, business, or service

Guests: NetYP members, NetYP Partners and Affiliates

Style of Event: A stylish & sleek trade fair that offers the perfect blend of professional and social interaction.

Location: Allentown Business Plaza (645 Hamilton St., Allentown)

If you are interested in organizing or participating in the trade fair please contact Abigail Tucker via the NET website.