Council - Regular Meeting

I like to call this Tuesday, March 24th special meeting to order. Would everybody please rise for a moment of silence and let's remember all those who passed away during the month. Let's look at the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Mr. Dilling roll call, please. Mr. Pez here. Miss Cohen here. Miss Rodriquez here. Mr. Cousins here. Migra here. Mr. Johnson here. Mr. Qurochi here. Much here. Uh we're going to hold public participation right now. Uh we're going to move on to item two on the agenda. I need a motion for items. Mr. Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion for the approval of resolution adopting the police department's revised internal affairs policy. Wait a second by Miss Rodriguez. Questions or comments?

Sure. Mr. Mayor, Mr. President, I don't have a microphone today, so I'll use my Wait a minute. Let's get Let's get you one so everybody at home can hear you. Can we get AJ's mic? Frank, is it on green? Yes. Yes. You good? Go ahead.

Okay. This evening, I would respect respectfully request that the council consider tableabling item number two on the agenda, the approval of the resolution adopting a police department's revised internal affairs policy. Although there are other reasons for not moving forward [laughter] on the resolution in its written form, I will focus on two immediate concerns which I feel are of the utmost importance to the taxpayers of Bristol Burrow. Upon receiving the agenda packet for tonight's meeting, I contacted members of law enforcement with years of distinguished service who serve as heads of police departments of all sizes. I also spoke with an official with the Law Enforcement Accreditation Services Organization. Their main function is to assist municipalities in preparing their police departments to become accredited departments in Pennsylvania. There [clears throat] along with these conversations, I researched the criteria written in the revised policy before you that you are considering for adoption. I could not find any instances where a governing body such as a council was even remotely involved in not only formulating an internal affairs policy or setting themselves up in a position where they control internal investigations. There was no authority to designate who will conduct the investigation. Nor did I find any documentation that a political entity such as the burough council has the authority to review the investigation reports at any time. they wish. That alone would be a violation of the Criminal History Records Information Act, which by the way, I I I I find it hard to believe that the chief would approve this because he pointed it out to me my first day when I came into the police station that without my Korea or

criminal history uh requirement that I'm approved, I would not be allowed to be unexported through the police department. Furthermore, there is no authority for council to designate a person to supervise the police department. By adopting this resolution, you will be inter in inserting politics into a process where there is no legal authority to do so. This policy is in direct violation of title 8, which is of Pennsylvania title 8 burrows and incorporated towns, also known as the burrow code. Section 1123.1 mayor's powers concerning the police. The subsection A general rule states the mayor shall have full charge and control the police and the chief of police and the police force. Subsection B goes on to say direction which states that the mayor shall direct the time during which the place where and the manner in which the chief of police and the police force perform their duties of their rank. This policy, if passed, could trigger a legal challenge to its legality. If passed in this form, not only for its impropriy, but more importantly, the violation of burough code. Council could be found liable and be subject to legal consequences, not only as an officially elected body, but also personally if the facts and evidence warrant it. More importantly, the taxpayers would be forced to absorb the cost of any lit litigation arising out of this matter. Based upon that, I respectfully request that it be tabled for further discussion.

Well, the only thing I can tell you is Jeff, you want to explain our executive session? Well, we we talked about pending investigations related to police officers and we are not going to discuss it publicly because it's a personnel related matter. In addition, we talked about collective bargaining which is related to the police contract which is about to be executed. That was the purpose of our 45minut discussion before [clears throat] the meeting. and our labor special counsel, our labor attorney was the one who uh asked us to put this on the agenda. So, I'm going to take his opinion. I appreciate your comment, but as far as I'm concerned, we pay an attorney an economical amount of money to advise this council what they should be doing with the issues that are facing us right now. And this is the way we're going to proceed. So, I have a second. Any other comment?

I just wanted to say something. Um, you know, as a councilman, we have to rely on professionals um to do their job. I'm not a lawyer and uh we've been advised by two lawyers that this is the appropriate uh action. Um and therefore, I rely on the advice of solicitors and labor attorneys. Agree. So, you're saying solicitor Garton approved this as I'm saying that the labor attorney advised I was, you know, part of that conversation

and we're hoping to have him here and maybe he could publicly say some of it right now. We, you know, we can't talk about anything, but hopefully he can come to a meeting at some point and address this whole situation. So, if there's no more comments, all those in favor? Opposed? Motion carries. Okay. Uh, do you want to do three now? Mr. President, I'd like to make a motion to consider the implementation of recreation plans. A second by Miss Figaro. Questions or comments? All those in favor? Opposed?

Okay, Jeff, see you next month. The reason we went out of order,

the reason we went out of order, our solicitor has to be somewhere else. Okay. So, we can either do some public participation or I rather do our presentation and then hold public participation to the end unless somebody has to get out of here in a hurry. Uh, listen to what you have to say now. Okay. So we the reason we wanted to present this plan to everybody it's been a year and a half in the makings and a lot of it has to do there's a lot of different phases of this uh program that we want to put put forth tonight. Uh [clears throat] we feel that there were a lot of good things that happened over our administrations over the last so many years. There was good things that happened over previous administrations. one one of the biggest things that I think ever took place. That was the walking path that was put in town. It's used by thousands of people every week. And uh we need to really focus on, you know, housing stock. Everything's going great, but we need to focus on recreation for the the children of our town. And therefore, we went through every phase of recreation that we can. There's two phases that we still need to deal with and one is all of the complex on Jefferson Avenue to be redone. We're not at that point now, but we are working towards that point. But our playgrounds, our soccer fields, our walking pad, uh our community garden, our basketball courts, there's a whole process that we want to present to you tonight. But I think the misunder understanding is that we want to build a firehouse and then maybe five years down the road we're going to build a garden.

Before we do anything, the basketball courts and the garden will be built before we build a firehouse. Same thing with Otter Street. We're going to put in new fields, new uh new lighting, concession stands, uh a parking lot. So, the Phil facilities will be state of the art. Our playgrounds haven't been upgraded in I don't know how long. But when you see what we're going to do tonight, I think everybody's going to be happy. So, Kurt, I think we should go through each phase of this. I know you brought people here from the playground company and everybody to explain the equipment that we're using is state-of-the-art. It's used in Philadelphia in different areas that parts [clears throat] are already available. It's not something they're going to destroy. All the playgrounds will have lighting on them and security cameras, including the new basketball courts and garden will be lit with security cameras. Is there a lot of people out there No, cuz if there is, we could turn on the TV in the community room, too.

If you guys want to come in, tell them to come in. Squeeze in or open that other door if you want. So, uh, Kirk, how do you want to start? All right, Amanda. Thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to move somewhere where I can see it on TV. I never follow it up on the screen. And uh feel free to interrupt with any questions. Um this is quite a lengthy presentation since there's so many projects. So don't want anyone forgetting questions along the way. So feel free to just interrupt with your questions. Yeah, you're good.

All right. Thank you. Well, we're very excited to be here tonight and we're appreciative to be able to share with you some of the projects and ideas that we've been working on, again, as Ralph mentioned, for the past year and a half or so. Um, I know you all pretty much know Kurt and myself, but we've also brought Will Hemler from General Recreation with us tonight. Um, and he will be discussing the play the playground projects once we get to that. And if you notice, it says our town, our future 26. So that's something that we feel that again is something that's for the town for a long time to come.

Um I think we can all agree that there's no place quite like Bristol Barrow. Um, I know for me personally over the past 10 years that I've been working with you, it's been amazing to witness the vision and ambition of this council and staff to implement so many great projects. From the docks and new public works facility to the small business revolution in 2017 to the intersection improvements at Milan Radcliffe, this town's truly a unique place where history, culture, and great residents all collide. And it's with those prior successes that we can use it to springboard to tackle a complete and holistic approach to revitalizing every aspect of recreation in town. Youth programming came first with the addition of the quiet yet effective Brian Johnson onto council and you've done a great job at improving the sports offerings and programs themselves. Then came Brian number two with Brian Morris and he can really help to catapult Bristol to a new level of recreation programming and bringing new ideas. This presentation tonight is the third and final piece where we hope to improve the recreation experience for all residents with new and upgraded facilities and infrastructure. All right, so this is the outline of all the projects that we'll be talking about this evening. Um, and they include Otter [clears throat] Street, which is the, as Ralph mentioned, the sports fields, um, with new field improvements, as well as the playground and parking lot across the street. Um, we will be upgrading every playground throughout town at Trenton Aav, Pond, and Wilson, Spruce. And then we will also be resurfacing the entire length of the Spurline Trail along with upgrading key um, intersections where this trail crosses. um tropical traffic roadways. Um we will

be as Ralph mentioned relocating the community garden and the basketball courts to make way for a brand new fire station building. Um I'll give a quick update on the um track improvements improvements that are ongoing and we'll also be giving an update on the road paving program which is um burrowwide um roads that we'll be selecting for paving. And with that I will pass it over to Kirk because we're going to start talking about um Otter Street.

Thank you Amanda. So, the first project that we want to highlight here is the Otter Street parking lot. Um, I think everyone's familiar with the uh the fields and the land that is across from the fields where people are parking now. So, on the left hand side, you can see the current conditions. This is um mainly roadway millings and other materials that's been placed there throughout the years. Um, it's discombobulated. It's not, you know, uniformed. It's not uh it's not covered in a in a surface that's that's ideal for parking. Um, and and the vision uh is displayed here on the right, which is, as you can see, um, seems tricky to control, but uh, formalizing this space. Um, on the top of the screen is Otter Street. on the bottom screen is old route 13. You can see that we're going to be cutting off access from the old route 13 side and only providing controlled access from the outer street side. Um it also includes some sidewalk extension to a crosswalk to safely uh [snorts] get uh parents and friends and children uh back and forth from the parking to uh the fields. Uh it's going to have some [clears throat] new lighting installed. So have parking area lighting as well as some landscaping and other features like a fence and some guide rail. So this property its history was it was obtained through the county open space program a number of years ago. Uh so we did consult with the county to ensure

that they are um supportive of this use on this property and we did receive that confirmation. So that is what's planned for the parking upgrades. Um as far as the fields themselves, uh we are show some existing conditions there on the left. Um, you know, this is just kind of looking back at the current conditions of the parking lot. Um, this shows an area where there's existing uh portable restrooms and uh trigger happy. There we go. Um, and then uh the existing playground of the Otter Street uh fields is shown bottom right there.

[clears throat]

So the intent with this land is to create lighting for athletic activities. So you'll notice that the large area used for various sports. We don't show the fields delineated. We just show the large area that fields are contained within. Uh so instead of putting lights throughout those fields, we're [clears throat] going to illuminate them from the perimeter. So that leaves this facility for flexibility in modifying and altering you know what sport activities can occur at this location. Um obviously those lights will cover the middle of the field.

That's correct. So, the specific technical uh design of those lights, we're working with a specialized company that does these types of athletic facility lighting. Um, the these aren't designed to any like national lighting standard for a specific sport. So, that that's just not feasible unless you are allocating areas for specific fields. Um, but this will provide a nice relatively uniform illumination across the field. Plenty of light for playing sports after it's dark out. Um, but it's not like we follow some specific, you know, national or or other uh athletic field lighting, but they are athletic field lights and they will they are sized and appropriate height and appropriate uh strength to provide nice uh sufficient coverage. Um, and you can see on this rendering in the center, um, we'll be talking more about the, uh, playground improvements that are proposed for here, but one of the other features that's being added [snorts] is some form of a new structure in this location where those portable restrooms are currently located. Um, we have two options. One is dry concession and storage and the other is wet concession with a sink and storage and restroom facilities. So, that's something that is still up for debate and we're interested in soliciting feedback from from council and the public. There's pros and cons uh to both options there. Uh this shows what I just described as option one which is a dry concession and storage facility. Uh these structures are actually prefabricated structures that are very very customizable.

Uh they're made out of concrete. There's a local company up in Ottville, Pennsylvania, M andW manufacture these and they arrive on site fully contained, fully fitted out with whatever facilities you select at whatever size you select them. You have options for facade treatments. Um the one on the left we wanted to provide in this slide that's actually very local. It was recently installed over at the JFK park in Bristol Township. So, we'd encourage you to go check that out. Um, it's sitting elevated because that was in a flood plane, so we're required to elevate it. The one at Otter Street would be more ground level. Um, but the exterior, even though it looks like a stone facade there at the bottom with a a siding uh halfway up the building, that's actually all concrete. And they use a form liner to create it. and then they color texture it to make it look like uh different materials. Option two is a concession storage and restroom building. I don't think the one on the right is the one that's in Bristol Township as well, but it's very similar in its configuration. You can see there was a rollup door with a concession building. But if you go over to the Bristol Township Municipal Complex at 251 Bath Road, uh within their large municipal park, they installed one of these facilities that has the restrooms. Uh and again, customizable. You can select different uh material and colors. Um you you order them, you run water and electric and uh a sewer line to them and just prep a stone bed uh subgrade and then they drop these units right [clears throat] on top

of that and connect it up uh very quickly and efficiently. And Kart, not to interrupt you, that's the one we're looking at for Memorial Field at the softball field. We're going to that two-story building comes down [clears throat] and we're thinking about putting something bad and we'll give them concession and new restrooms right there.

Yeah, they're they're a wonderful product. They're very resilient. Um you can get all kinds of different features whether it be mechanical locks, electronic locks, things like that. You can have them on timers, sensors so that you know obviously you don't get locked in there. You can you can leave. Um but you can have them on timers. You can have them set up with with all kinds of different uh configurations and you know inside they're built very strong. You know, not like a typical residential toilet. You know, it's a more heavier duty type product that's more resilient to vandalism. You know, that's one of the trade-offs is it it's a reality that kids do what kids do. Um, but you know, as Ralph said, Dion said, uh, the presentation, there there will be security cameras and things included in these projects.

To change codes and stuff like that, do all done by computer.

Yeah, you could have it hooked into Wi-Fi or other other means. So, the next portion of the presentation will be um the playground upgrades and we have Will Helmler with um Hemler with uh General Recreation who we've worked with uh quite a bit and throughout our firm's uh recent history. Um so, he's going to run through sort of the existing and proposed playground uh facilities. Can I just say one thing before you move on? You can go take two seconds. I'm sorry. But um with the honor street just in case because I know not everyone's as intimately involved with recreation as some of us currently are. Um field time, it's a great facility, but we've had a real tough time with practice time because our programs are growing as much as they are. It's difficult to get people onto those fields in enough time to get practice going. So this will basically double the amount of practice time and game time and and programming that we can possibly do. certainly a big upgrade for the programs themselves

and and that's a great point too and again kind of leads into Kurt's conversation about the flexibility of the field lighting because there are so many options for different ages um and different numbers of field configurations. You know, we still have that flexibility even with putting the lighting in. Hello everyone. Um, my name is Will Hemler. I'm with General Recreation and I represent Landscape Structures. Landscape Structures is an American company. Everything's fabricated in the United States using all US steel. Uh, employee owned since uh 1973 began. So, just to let you know that uh it's a local company, so when parts are needed, uh any type of support, we're there and easily accessible. So, Otter Street, if you look at it, it is an older structure, the existing structure. It has a a swing set. It has a two to basically a 2 to 12 structure age group. and it's accessible, but it's what we call um static play where you go up the structure, through a deck, down a slide, and repeat. So, it doesn't give you a lot of options as far as upgrades or as far as play experience. You can see it's mainly slides on the main structure. And what we're proposing is uh fully updated the uh net structures. what they offer is complete different than what the original structure did. The original structure again it's called scripted really because you you go up to one way and use it one way where this structures you can use it from many different angles. Um it's high capacity so

children can use it from um across the the whole structure and um it has many built-in little um places for for cozy spots, challenging um tight ropes on the inside for the main structure, but it's also accessible. So there's um handicap accessible seesaws that have high backs. So that gives everybody a chance to um you know if they need that extra core support sit there and and participate and it's inclusive that sense instead of just having one person use it it hopes up to four five six people can use at the same time. [clears throat] Same with the spinner. It's ADA accessible. It's at a transfer height for wheelchair users but again allows everybody and use it together and be able to do spin which is a great thing. We talk about inclusive we want to talk about vestibular and propriception. um as play experiences and you can get that from spinners and these rockers. Same with the swing sets. Let's see if we can get to. So the next swing that the main swing has a ADA full bucket seat with harness. So that's again for for um you know users that really need that extra support where the the harness can lock them in, give them the support to get that two and fro experience as well as multigenerational. So even parents and and adults can also use the equipment together. And what you can see on the on the left hand side is what [clears throat] they would say is the transfer station which is for wheelchair accessibility for users to be able to transfer from the wheelchair, climb into the structure and be able to enjoy it all together. Right there is a live image of it. Uh nice part about that too is the wide slide. So it kind of culminates in this very tall slide and it's wide and angled. So um that again allows uh more usage instead of just a single use uh

one users you know just child slide. It's bigger um and and wider again to accommodate uh more bigger users and more users. How about parents with kids?

Yeah. You know what happens um and I think that's what happens too. We talk about multigenerational with with playground design because you know parents do want to enjoy these parks with with their children. They don't want to just sit on the sidelines and they want to be more active. Again, it was very um you know simple playgrounds. The history of playgrounds kind of started with let's just try to get something to a tall slide of pedall and then let's put more slides on it and then slowly start putting more climbers on it and then and then you want to go with climbers that um again have uh that aren't static because if a climber is always predictable it's always the same motion no matter what you do it gets boring very quickly. So by implementing these kind of structures with the nets, we we do both because when when you have this kind of flexibility in the netting systems as a child plays on it, another child will go and play on it and they have to be responsive to each other's bodies and and their weight and the distributions and it causes you know a lot more fun can be had that way. And then then you know of course playground manufacturing company we wanted to well how do we make it even more fun? So we put in kind of like uh um you know challenging courses through out the middle of it inside of it. So that way children can really decide how they want to use it, how they want to approach it, how they want to play on it instead of you telling them how this is the only way to use it. So it's a lot more imaginative. And then even within that part we talk about socialization, you know. So, we want to have these kind of perching spaces and and and spots to sit so children can talk, socialize together, kind of play together, think about how they want to re-engage, take a break, go back at it, and hit it again in a different way. So, again, uh might be the same structure, but there's so many ways to approach it and play on it that it keeps it very, uh very interesting.

Will there be any benches for people to sit on?

Absolutely. Yep. All the designs have benches that you incorporate into them with backs for support. Um and then even the bench is a great idea to have at in the in the park design call it you know a staging area. So when going into the park um a lot of times depending uh you know different children's needs how they can take a break they can think about how they want to approach the play space and engage it and but it's also calming space. So when they leave the park before they get back in their car and everything calm down get whatever they needed get situated again and then can leave the park. So it's staging and calming. So it's good to have those kind of site amenities for parks. This this structure would be kind of a traditional structure, but it's in the same design because it's a 2 to 5year-old structure. And this is where you want to kind of have that balance of a typical type foot and hand placement with hand holds and where they're learning their balance and they're going up the steps and they want to get that sensation of a slide but the slides aren't too high. And same and same with just different climbers on it and you want to have added shade for the youngest kids especially. So give that opportunity. So a lot of times you have shade under the deck for that. You have a roof for that. um you know so that makes sense when you are trying to uh design a park because not that ASM regulations is you want a 5 to 12 area and you want a 2 to 5 area they break it up years ago it was uh 2 to 12 catchall just like it works for everybody but it was a terrible two 2 to 5 structure was a terrible 5 to2 structure per se as as things go all things being equal nowadays because it's just what we can design now back then it was the best we could do you know we were just talking playground s back then too. And uh so to see this kind of modern change from

something like this to how do I go back? Uhoh. Uhoh. Don't [laughter]

Amanda. Um, for the out of street park, like I know we go move on, but for the out of street park, like the lights, they were surrounded. Will the park be lit up to will it be an entry to go like through like the field like? Right. So, the the field lighting, I'll say, is a separate conversation from any of the playground lighting. any of the playgrounds we're now discussing will have its own separate lighting, but obviously doesn't need the same level of lighting intensity that, you know, a soccer multi-use field would need.

Mostly all the field mostly all the field lighting is going to be controlled through the concession stand. So, or the press box. So if somebody wants to turn on the lights for soccer or whatever recreation is there, that coach or that director, whoever is in charge is going to have the availability to do that. If there's nobody playing, like there's no soccer going on or anything, the playground still will be lit for kids to use them. And if we elect to say, okay, they go off at a certain time, then like the basketball court, we're not going to let them play basketball at 2:00 in the morning. So at a certain time them lights will go off. And our main thing meeting with Will numerous times was we wanted to make sure they were handicap accessible where wheelchairs kids can get in and enjoy the same experience that everybody else is enjoying on the playground. So that was a major factor. We met on site. One thing we did talk about um that correct me if I'm wrong there was having an entrance from the field itself as well. Um a lot of you know siblings one kid one brother or sister might be playing on the field the other one wants to use the playground parents keep an eye on be able to access. Yeah, absolutely.

Just for I mean it seems there going to be a lot of light um and on the street the lighting will not impact residents that are on the street. It won't everything is going to be focused toward the field, right? Yeah. Working working with our Yeah. working with our lighting vendor. Um, now with the LED sports lighting, it is quite easy for them to get that directional lighting so it's the appropriate level on the actual sports field, but there really is virtually no spillover outside of the the field area. Okay. Did you have a question, Larry?

No, it was answered about the other gate on the other side.

Gotcha. Go ahead, Will. Um, so you brought a visibility kind of a good thing too. That's why a lot of these structures now you really want to be able to see through it. Not a lot of places to hide it. Um, again why parents like that so much going to keep an eye on child. There's lots of playgrounds around where they can hide. Anybody can hide and then you got to figure out how you're going to find them. So high visibility is great especially even for, you know, even police or supervisors also to drive by and easily be able to see through the park and across the park. Um, so we wanted to make sure that was implemented in the designs as well. And again on the left is where the transfer stations that we're talking about for handicap accessibility to meet ADA regulations. Um, ADA regulations also require that we meet so so many ground level components, so many uh components by that elevated. There's also an accessible pathway through the each playground design and there's also uh parking and um um radius for turning radiuses that are in in the players as well. And so our design is absolutely we can't do a design if it doesn't meet ADA regulations. Same with ASM guidelines too.

What about the surface? What is the surface going to be? Uh the surface he proposed is um EWF. It's engineered wood fiber. um is um wheelchair accessible, but it's a wood fiber and uh you know does need to be dressed, does need to be um maintained from time to time. Be rubber. No, it's not rubber. Thank god. Uh great for drainage as well. Uh but it does have maintain maintain but it's um u the value of it. It's very inexpensive compared to say cord rubber which is um fantastically warm. So I think that's, you know, it's a good budget choice, but it it also is tried and true across many municipalities and school districts.

Does that material still have a resiliency problem in there?

Yeah, it just has to be a minimum of 9 in in depth. Um, usually put it over about 4 in of stones because you want to keep water out of it. Just make sure because it it's wood so it'll deteriorate quicker if you don't have proper drainage. But ASM requires 9 in minimum. A lot of times um we would specification would be typically to see 12 in because then it's 9 in after compaction. It's always going to keep getting less and less. If you ever see wood carpet out there, it's tough to keep it off. So it's good to start. And on the other side, you see a swing set that is just for two to 5 year olds. Um I keep doing that. Apologies. Yeah. Yep. Yep. So again, we have one on the 5 to 12 side area and then we have two to five. So we even we want to separate the age groups on this one. So um we have designated play spaces for both age groups. Tren.

Okay. Uh Trevor, you know, um I think all these playgrounds probably happened around the same time. long time ago. And you know, so very typical of um the Otter um tree design. And that's the rubber surfacing. Looks like it's loose fill rubber. And that's uh hard to maintain. Hard. It travels, disappears, washes away. Kids stuff their pockets full of them, walk away.

Never be seen again. Yes. So um but that's indicative of all the parks have that and you know again it's these are these are your traditional structures and again we're we're we're something and they're great at their time but uh now updated player experiences is is really uh the goal of every of every design I want to come up with. So wow. Yeah. Again, we have a separate two to five area for this one. That that two to five area just the structure by itself um is about 16 different play experiences on it by it for itself. The different sensory needs tactile, visual, auditory, uh capture those. It also has the the the multi user suite uh seesaw. But this one also goes, let's see if I can let me just here's the structure. I'll go back to that other one. So here's a two to five. So you can see where it has it's kind of like a climbing belt bridge. It has a socialization table on the side. Has bongos bells. It also has a racetrack built in for um matchbox goes around the structure. It's pretty good. Uh has a classic tunnels. So we try and uh a lot of a lot of touch on it too. Again that's one of when we talk about having sensory playgrounds we try to touch tactile, sensory, auditory uh as part of that.

And the one thing to mention is that each playground we're going to be discussing are all different. So there are no two playgrounds that will be different things to play on. That's great. That's a fantastic point. Um because well you have an opportunity where the community uh even I guess the term we use is play pilgrimages. So you go to each one is and visit each different neighborhood's park as an opportunity to have something different and kind of cohesion of bringing the whole the whole town together and literally they're not that far. So yeah absolutely walk to everything.

It's a playground. That's right.

But then you can see on there's a spring rider to the right of that too. So again, we want to bring in elements that give that rocking motion, you know, not just a swing that does two and fro, but we want bouncers, too. Um, go up and down. We also want to go forward and backwards. Again, it's so you can get those kind of in sensations in in the play space. I'll get better. Okay, so here's the vein structure. Kind of want to go back to this slide because show it on the left hand side. Uh it's important to really have a lot. It's such a large structure to have this much canopy on it, this much shade really makes it enjoyable in those summer summer days when it's really hot, a lot of direct sun. There is tree coverage at this site, but uh once this is this kind of expanse, it's it's it's huge to have this part, especially when you do talk about inclusivity. There's lots of children that on medication and they need to be in the shade. They can't be in direct sunlight for too long. So to a able to offer this is uh I think crucial uh especially this is kind of next level playground design.

Is this looking at it from the railroad? So no. So, we're actually looking at it, I'll say from the Trenton Avenue side. Okay. Looks like the path back. The one thing you will notice. Perfect. [laughter] Good point, Lorraine. That um we'll actually be adding a second path kind of offshoot to surround the playground. Right. So, you'll once and when you're on the spur line on Trenton Avenue walking down towards the playground, you'll be able to choose whether you want to go to the left or to the right. Um so, you can kind of surround or make a loop or you know, whatever you have. Yeah. Very cool.

This structure is unique, too, because it it offers challenges at different heights where we have a slide at a lower height and then for children to be able to work their way up to a taller slide. Besides that part, it's where we talk about parallel play. uh meaning that a child can uh get on use the ADA accessible transfer station and there's a center net that spreads ties the entire structure together from the lowest point all the way to tie highest point and you can climb all the way up. Wow.

And so you can run around the edges. There's there's uh play components that surround that neck and allow you to come up through the middle of it on the sides of it from different climbers. Um, but everybody can use it at the same time. So you can however however you want to choose to. Again, going back to that unscripted, it doesn't tell you how to use it. You can decide how you want to use it. Children can say, I want to use it this way. I'm going to I'm going to go this angle. There's actually um painted signs on it that show the different possible combinations of usage that the designers came up with and they can you know they call out those numbers of which way you want to go this time. So it helps you know it helps give them ideas but the end of the day it's uh you know they're in charge of their own imagination and for them how you enjoy how to use it. There's lots of places to sit. There's lots of shade in it. Uh there's hangout spots. There's there's little rockers built in so you get that sensory motion u with you know when I I do a lot of uh playgrounds with bucks kind of inter intermediate unit as well and we try to figure out how to get those kind of rocking sensations in different places and that this structure has it already built in which is I think is genius. What I what I do like about each of the structures being proposed is this. They all started in in our custom capacity at three times the cost they are now because it was the first one they ever built, but they're, you know, fantastic. We had to

Can I interrupt you one second? Of course. You're talking too far from the mic. You got to get closer and louder. They can't hear you at all. Okay, gotcha. Every one of these is blowing up because nobody can hear you.

Well, thank you. Uh each one of these structures started out in our custom world uh you know unique attachments and netting systems different types of climbers that that that do all these you know things for next level and I think it's a great value to go with these instead of traditional structures. There's a again you get all that benefit of all that original R&D and all those interesting pieces and components at a much less price because we're able to from a manufacturing standpoint able to standardize it more.

The the one thing to note is that this slide is titled option one. Uh for Trenton Avenue playground, we do have two options for that main equipment component. [laughter] Um so this is the first one you'll see and then on subsequent slides we do have a second option. there. So this is second option is the same uh all all in the indep independent uh plate components that you see but it's the main structure that changes uh this structure what what's different about this one is it's it's fully accessible 12T tower 12T slide the other one has an 88 in slide which is still very tall but this is when you want kind of a singular tower type of effect to take you up to when you want that high height sensation and there's a there's a spiral belting going all the way up.

We've had some just my opinion, we've had some bad luck with the tube options and I I don't like I don't personally that's my personal Oh, you mean tube slides? Yes. Oh, okay. Okay. I'm not going to go into it with you. [laughter] I'm just going to tell you that we've had some trouble.

Gotcha. And um that's probably why we put windows in sometimes. This one has a window so you can see in it. Uh but you know at that height it's precarious to really have an open slide. We we you can do it. We have done it. Um I'm not sure maybe listener would have to see what the where you know how much liability you want on it. Um but it is an option. So I have to say that this is it's a well maybe I should stay out of it. I don't want to go. Uh I'd like to note though that this um this main again equipment piece has just recently been installed in Ben Salem. Again, you were part of that project where

um on Kingville Road near their library. So, um that playground's not quite open yet. It's not finished, but you can see the structure. Oh, option one. Thank you. Yeah. Well, and to be fair, yeah, it's it's nice that you could probably go there and enjoy it anyway, but I don't know that part of the the playground crawl.

Yes. Yes. You can go to another town right down the street. You're more, you know, it's right there for you. So, I think that's just part when you talk about the recreation landscape of things is how accessible certain features are. And there's there's plenty of parents that drive every hour to different parks. I I've done amazing park um in Whitney Township, Mermaid Lake. I just did three parks, all inclusive, but very nice. Also, Abington Township uh has some beautiful parks. There's just uh different municipalities that aren't too far away, but offer variety because not everybody can really build everything. But so, it's nice to be able to travel a little bit and there's there's a lot a lot of other parks to take advantage of. Yeah, there's the belting spiral I was speaking about. And it's it's unique and it has a chimney clamp up to the middle. It is unique because it is uh that tall of a tower that's um ADA accessible to the top which is very unique to have Pawn Street. So, what I liked about the pond street design is so here's existing um not too far from here. Kind of your classic type structures. Um somewhat something left of a bouncer and I think that was an old fire truck framing structure.

It was [laughter]

I see that that's uh the history of playground that's been around a long time. So, the new one what the design was and I think it's based on the footprint and kind of the initial feedback about Palm Street is that something for the the younger children 2 to five age group that that caters to them that's a kind of a place for them to go to since we don't have a footprint to really do a massive 5 to 12 structure and 2 to five and major swings for both everywhere and lots of spinners. It was a great opportunity to make it into a design where it's a place you can take that the younger age children and have it kind of protected and not have to worry about them um having older children running around and bumping into them or and gave them their own space. So on this design we even kind of put a large roof. That deck that you're seeing on the left hand side is what we call a hex deck. It's about 8 ft across. So, it's very large. Um, it provides more shade structure for that age for that age group. And, uh, everything was kind of kind of crafted to pick what you want to use for them. uh uh steppers because you're working on agility, you're working on um balance, socialization, and so each of these pieces kind of accomplish that. Double slides, they can slide down together, but it's a smaller slide and a straight slide. Very predictable, very safe. The spinner on the left hand side is one of my favorites because it probably holds eight or so 5-year-olds. And it has high back. So, it's at a transfer height, so wheelchair users can roll up, transfer from it, and and slide into the spinner and use it as uh with their friends and family. But also has

the high back supports that wing up. So again, if you need that core support, they have those seats in there built in for them as well. You say eight children, to me, that translates into eight parent options to spin it.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. And that's the hope, you know. Um it's parents can can um kind of hold that many children in one large spinner and it turns quick and easy. And then [snorts] we also have um play activity panels that are mixed in uh that are wheelchair accessible, but also um you know uh musical, tactile, visual, auditory. Again, everything that we're trying to accomplish that kind of hits those notes in and good design. Let me go back one more. See if I can show. So there's also a dome. Do you see the dome on the bottom kind of bottom left? That is a climber that's specially made for 2 to 5 year olds. It's u it's a cozy space where they can all sit inside. They can climb inside but has holes so it's easily uh you can't hide. You can easily viewable. But again, it's a place they can all sit and socialize, storytell, what have you. But the holes and the um hand holds in the for feet and for hand holds are placed but then we kind of build that that confidence and the strategy of uh of using it. It's a very great piece. Um once you see it in real life, it'll be pretty impressive for you. The and there's a there's also the bobble rider there, but there's two of them. So, it's a bobble rider with a dual suit. And with the swing sets, we're also adding the harness as well. So for for that added support, [clears throat] spruce trees. Again, very typical structure that we've been seeing and that we're working through.

swings and a a two to 12 structure, two slides and a uh typical climber. So, a new one. So, here's where we're talking about that uh having that bench at the entrance for a staging area, lots of shade, tall um well, from this side, you can see it. It's kind of a structure that's designed to have everything. It has uh overhead vents. It has large climbers. It also has like smaller belt bridges, uh lower seats, lower footooth holds and climbers, [snorts]

uh a lower slide at initially, but as you build up, it goes up to that tall 8ft tower or slide again. So what this this space kind of we needed a structure I think to beat uh all of it where a reimagined 2 to 12 but a two where the 2 to five area or the smaller area um has those bell bridges those challenging events for that age group that is still learning though. But as you graduate up the structure and use the more difficult climbers, it really does it is a really good 5 to 12 uh age group structure. And then we also still got was able to put in a two- bay swing set where we have um one bay is for 2 to 5 year olds and the second bay is for technically 2 to 12 but would be for 5 to 12 year olds. And then we got a bouncer in there for additional movement. Two more benches.

Any questions on all the playgrounds at this point?

So, let's move on to the Thank you, Will. All right. Thank you. Kurt's going to continue on with the Spurline Trail project.

All right. So, uh, the Spurline Trail was mentioned at the beginning of the, uh, presentation and, you know, what a remarkable asset this is, uh, for the town. You know, literally used by thousands of people, um, you know, every single week. Uh, it's a great way to traverse the burrow. Um it it's it's actually one of the earlier uh rails to trails in southeastern Pennsylvania. So you know once again um Bristol Burrow is uh has made history with um with its foresight. You know these have become very popular. But uh the the trail and the the intent uh for uh improving the trail include a full repave of the trail. So, there's been some maintenance done on the trail over recent years. Uh, but we're talking about going from, you know, over here on the left, uh, if I can get this pointer to cooperate. Uh, this is Mil Street where it begins. It traverses the entirety of the burrow. That's not going to work. um you know um and then it it comes down uh through here you know along the green lane wawas right in here and it connects down to uh Rackcliffe Street trail actually continues across Seabird and then wraps behind Rackcliffe Court and then behind uh the Lennox building uh until it connects up to um Pine Grove. Uh we did not show the area in between uh the Lennox building and the um Rackwood Court and the Seabird because those are maintained by the the private property owners, the HOA and the business owners. Um so the improvements are shown in red and I'll talk a little bit about the piece over here in a

second. Uh but in addition to resurfacing it, we are going to provide some upgrade amenities, some benches along the way. Uh but one of the things we want to do is try to preserve its integrity as long as we can. Um forces of nature that deteriorate things like asphalt, it's not just sunlight and and and rain and frost and snow. It's also the tree roots. Uh so along that trail there's actually a lot of really beautiful trees particularly out in front of like Snder Gerate right across the street here you know but they also have competing interest because those tree roots find their way into the asphalt and they can cause it to damage and and the roots pop up out of the asphalt and it becomes unsafe tripping hazards. So we uh Ralph we spent what half a day uh walking that trail and looking at everything.

I felt like I was in Disneyland again. Uh but we we we're trying to strike a balance between pre preserving some of the trees, but there's absolutely quite a bit of trees that do need to be removed. Um but we're going to use a combination of tree removal and also a root barrier system uh which will be installed adjacent to the trail which will the roots try to penetrate past it and then they stop. It's it's a barrier that prevents that from happening. Um so in addition to uh paving the trail, there's also along the trail a lot of pocket parking that exists within the property in which the spur line exists. Uh so right now they're mainly gravel and we're looking to formalize that by paving those pocket park areas and where we can maximize the amount of parking that exists there.

Can I ask you a question? Um with the uh Square [clears throat] Line Park behind here uh you know behind Riverview and um along the river where we said you know the HOA maintains it which I understand that as well. Um, the condition of it is pretty good at this point. I mean, you know, I don't know if this would be a question for Mr. Dylan or for uh Jeff moving forward, but in the event that that did need to be replaced. They have to replace it. They have to replace it. So, Lennox owns the stretch behind Lennox, right?

And the new condos that were just built, town houses, their HOA has to maintain that. I know they maintain it, but did we put it in? It's all in an agreement. They put it in, right? That's what I'm asking. Yeah. And they'll maintain it. Yeah. Rack Rack with Court actually relocated that trail a little bit and they have and there's been instances where even recently, you know, Mr. Dylan will reach out to them. Yeah. No, I've been back there with them with benches and trash cans and all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to make sure that we were clear about that moving forward. Sure. Crystal, what's that? Crystal clear.

Crystal. So this is the pond and and Doran Street uh pocket parking area. This is uh Dorance and and Washington. This is Washington in Lafayette. Kirk, what is it that we're doing wider to maximize the parking space or

Yeah. So we're generally following the footprint. Uh there are some areas where we'll widen it or square it off. you know, it's kind of irregular shaped now. So, we're trying to provide with with these renderings um showing more uniform cartway widths and formalized parking spaces, but still preserving and protecting. You'll see that there's some areas that are like hatched out. You know, somebody's gaining access off of um that pocket parking. So, it'll preserve their access the way that they have it today. Uh this is uh Lafayette and and Jefferson Street. You can see there's two areas there. Again, just kind of squaring it off and providing uh safe and efficient parking those areas. In addition to the resurfacing, we're also looking at each of the connections to the public rightways. You know, this is the old Route 13 and Mil Street. Right now, the trail just kind of dies into the cartway. Uh so you can see some improved striping that's shown as well as the addition of the ADA uh domes um t typical to like a curb ramp that you would see throughout town that have been uh replaced over the years. Again here similarly is the crony towers crossing. So again, improvements there. You'd see the addition of the pedestrian crossing signage just to add some additional uh safety uh between vehicles and pedestrians. This is a an improvement is the corner of Pond Beaver Street. Uh there's a you know landscape bed that's there now that's tired and so and there's also a matted [cough and snorts] down area where everybody's cutting through anyways. Uh so the objective here is to open that up uh make it a nice somewhat of a gateway treatment. So when you're driving by it's it's got the aesthetics but it's also got the functionality of

the added uh connection points there to the intersection. Uh this is Trenton and Cleveland Street. You can see the playground in the back that's being upgraded. You saw those nice renderings moments ago. Uh but what we noticed in this is the existing conditions. Um a lot of these intersections along Trenton the trail comes right out to the center of the intersection which is not good uh modern uh design. So they are now being relocated to their appropriate points where you can see here on the right and left. And then the crosswalks are being added where they belong with ADA curb ramps as well. Some of which have already been installed.

That is so neat. And this is one example, but obviously this happens multiple times along Trenton Avenue. So they would all be replaced

necessary. [clears throat] Very good. Uh same with this at Trenton and Railroad. Uh currently the crosswalk uh comes the trail enters about here and it it comes diagonal across this intersection. So the idea is to relocate the trail and provide a more typical um crosswalk configuration. So, this is that Pine Grove piece and um what exists out there now is the trail just kind of ends here into the sidewalk. There's like a piece of sidewalk somewhere along that corridor, but we wanted to connect that trail back out to Ratcliff Street. So that'll be uh this is this is the only section where we're actually adding a piece of the trail. And just kind of jumping back to the slide that shows the overall trail. Um just give you a little context of why that's being added. We want to That's a lot of slides. I got to go back here. [clears throat] Um so

but what what what it what it'll do is it'll actually provide and this was in one of the studies that we had done years ago called the walk walks study and look for gaps in trails and ways to connect things. So now you know as you as you come along the trail you'll actually be able to uh close that loop back on the rackliff and so you can you can cir circle this entire corridor and and head back down the trail like that. So, that's an important piece that we're excited about. Let's get back to We are next but not least. Kurt, I have a question. Are you addressing the the trail at Beaver Street and Pond? Because right now, if you're walking the path, really legally, I guess you're supposed to walk up to the intersection, cross there,

and then walk back again. Nobody does it. Yeah. I would say we're actually doing the final leg of that because we did make the improvements as you recall moving that crossing that was midblock and it was not at the intersection. So we already have installed the crosswalk up at the intersection where it belongs and you saw the other side but nobody uses it. There's still connection. Hey, we can only do No, but I mean it's not convenient. It's not it's not the path is here and the intersections. Yeah, we we are going to make improvements on the opposite side of the slide that we showed to better,

I'd say, deter by removing a section of the trail to guide people to the inter. Yeah. And I realize with the school being there, you have some other issues with Yeah. It's a lot of activity there. School dismissal, it was a problem where where it was. So, it's been moved to the intersection. And this is going to be the completion of that to realign that side of it and eliminate the connection there. Um, we've had discussions, you know, maybe there's a need to put up sections of fencing or other things to really try to deter people from cutting across there. Um, but, you know, you can only do so much.

I I'll add that um when we had done those previous intersection improvements a few years ago, we did have PennDOT involved in that conversation because it is a signalized intersection. and they essentially wouldn't allow us to have the trail crossing where it was um because they do have a say in it. So, um it it is kind of what it is at this point. That's the safest option that Pendot will approve for us at this time. So, we will continue to have that conversation if there's, you know, future needs. It's the safest if if you follow their if you follow their direction. [clears throat] I'm somebody who walks the path a lot. There's very few people that do, you know. Yeah.

So, I guess the next slides are the ones that have been, I guess, more in the forefront with the basketball courts and the community garden. So,

yeah, next we'll be talking about exactly what you said, the new community garden and basketball courts. Um and so again, these would be relocated to um a new location in the burrow in order to facilitate the construction of the new fire station. Um this was reviewed, I will say, in detail to make sure that we came up with the most appropriate location. um and really to use Ralph's words, state-of-the-art um design in in order to make something really great here that I think ties in really well with all the projects we had just discussed. Um so this is a picture of the existing basketball courts. There's three courts there now today. Um it is pretty tired looking. I know we had resurfaced it a few years ago, but that um you know was essentially not a complete overhaul. There's no lighting here at these basketball courts. Um, and there's not a whole lot of parking, but it is shared parking between the basketball court and the garden here. And this is a picture of the existing garden. Um there's a pavilion and a shed and there um you know it is very used community garden and there are um there is a lot of activity there but again not quite probably enough parking and um the amenities just aren't um probably exactly useful for um for what the garden needs are. So this is a plan view of what we would be proposing. If you can see on the right in black um is the existing track uh off of Trenton Avenue. So this would be situated you're looking at the track immediately to the left of the track. Um there is space there for 158 new garden plots which is um a pretty large increase from what's there today. Um let

me see if I can point at this thing now work. Okay. Here's those garden plots up here to the left in in brown. Um down at the bottom here, we also have an option for a future expansion area if there's additional garden pots that are ever needed. Uh there is a communal space here somewhat similar to what's existing at the community garden. Now, um it'll be an open area with picnic tables, a pavilion, a storage shed, but there will also be um some lighting there as well. There's a pathway connection here that will get you to each plot. Uh, and we will have that connected to a brand new 50 parking space parking lot. Um, that will be used again for the garden and also for the two new basketball courts that will be up here at the top of the page. Um, so those basketball courts will be complete new surfacing and we'll also have lighting at those courts as well. Um, down at the bottom here, you will see in gray, this is the the actual spurline trail. So, we would be reconnecting it and realigning it through this new driveway off of Trenton Avenue at Monroe in order to facilitate the new driveway going to um the parking lot for the garden and the basketball courts. The gardens will have water access. Um so, there will be hose bibs throughout the the community garden for use. Um and I think that might have covered

Did you say lighting before before you go to the next slide? I got a pointer.

Oh, there you go. So in in here all these dots or hydrants they're called. So everybody will be able to water off instead of one hose trying to connect the whole garden. And this walkway here coming out of here. All these beds along here could be ADA accessible. So people that are handicapped again and we took this into consideration that can wheel wheel have a wheelchair and as I spoke with Donna a few days ago then beds would be higher so people can plant from sitting in the chair. So I think we thought of everything but there's a lot of stuff that [cough] you know they get into every little thing here but the pavilion the We're talking about maybe picnic area right there expanding [cough] that. So,

and and the rain, to answer your question, there's lighting at the parking lot, at the basketball courts, and at the garden. Okay. Everything's lit up. Everything has security cameras. And the garden will also be fenced in like it is today. They didn't have lighting before, did they? No, I'm talking about No, the uh [laughter and clears throat] garden. Will that garden area have a fence similar to the original garden? You'll see it on the next slide. Yeah, it'll uh it's a little tough to see on this one. You you'll see it on a subsequent slide, but um yeah, it'll be a similar decorative fencing.

Just for contextual uh you know, just for the way my mind is working, how far away is the opposite side of the basketball court to the canal roughly? Okay, that's important. I'm just curious. There's no canal there to fall. Yeah, it actually right it backs up to the creek. I don't know that it actually you're you're you're pretty far from the physical at this point. So, we're going to be on this side of that wood line basically side. Right here is the trees that are there. Yep. That's all staying. We're not touching anything. Okay. There's a cluster in here that may have to come out.

Yeah. there there's probably some trees that do need to come out to facilitate this construction project, but um we were trying to kind of respect the footprint of the existing wood line. So, the goal is to keep keep as many trees as absolutely possible, right? Um you know, keep the natural vegetation as unharmed as possible yet provide usable areas for as many people as possible. Exactly.

So, the I'm going to go through a couple of renderings. They're all of the same thing, but kind of just to give you a different view. Again, we have the the track over here on the side to orient yourself. Um, and then here's the driveway coming through to the new parking lot. Basketball courts at the top. And then this would be that new pavilion structure as you enter the garden to the 158 plots up here. Again, a different angle. Um, so we're looking at the garden plots in the foreground and behind you in the background would be Trenton Avenue. How many pods are at the existing?

How many watts? How many existing? 154. Okay, thank you. And again, a rendering of what this could look like with the garden plots um with the wood beds and a pavilion and a shed in the background. We do have that decorative black ornamental fencing.

Um this is a rendering. However, I do think we'd be using probably a sixt fence. And then at the basketball courts we have um lighting proposed again so that the the lighting can be controlled if we need to use um the lighting for a certain particular time particular game but um they can be used um at night which they are not um at the moment. Amanda, can you go back one screen with the courts? with the quartz.

These cords could be turned if you want to run them this way. We thought this way was the best way to do it, but you can you can turn them and add if you want to add a third quarter. I have never seen three quarts being used at one time, but that's something that we could discuss.

Yeah. And again, to your point, Greg, we were trying to respect the natural wood line and not, you know, disturb trees um if we didn't need to. So, the the two cords fit in this orientation pretty well. Um it does technically work. If we did want to rotate them, we just thought also with um loose balls and um you know, the way the way that they're oriented, it would be conducive to have them in this direction, we would also, as you mentioned, optimize parking. minor minor, but uh I would ask that um those of us involved in rec um consulted on the like the backboard and rim selections because I know the renderings, but you know, we see some of the ones in there that look like the old ones and then some that look like new ones. So, well, we'll let you pick them. Thanks.

Let's just keep going then we'll come back.

Okay. All right. So, that was the garden uh and the basketball courts if there's any other council questions on that. Otherwise, I'll give a quick update on the track improvements. I I know we've talked about this um for some time now. The grant the burrow was awarded a grant for $485,000 from a local share account grant program through BCD through the state of Pennsylvania. Um they did start on the track project and um paved the surface. The the asphalt paving is complete. That was completed last October. They then did they had to um uh you know remove them their equipment from the site in order to one allow the asphalt to set for a minimum of 30 days. But then obviously went we went into a pretty harsh winter. Uh they do need 45° uh as an ambient temperature, consistent ambient temperature in order to set the synthetic track surface. Um hopefully now that we are in spring that is planned for the next few weeks. Um so um if all goes well and the weather holds out then by the end of April we will have a completed track project.

And on the track we took the finish line that was back here and we moved it to Trenton to out here cuz people had to come in the back of the track to see somebody finish a race. Right. Right. So, we've moved all that at our expense,

right? So, the um in order to facilitate that's not just simple striping. There is obviously striping that's involved with moving the start and finish lines, but we did actually if you notice um there's these straightaway pieces that are part of um certain events for track and field and that would be required to be relocated as well if you're are you are moving to finish line. So they have now been since relocated down uh to this leg and that's where the finish line will be going forward. They also relocated the long and triple jump event which again is all the way back here in kind of a marshy um wooded area that has been since relocated to the center of the infield here and I'll show that on the next rendering. So again, this is kind of the existing condition before the project was started. And this is a rendering of um the completed project. So you'll see those long jump and triple jump events are now um situated here in the center of the infield. Much easier to see as a spectator um and certainly just safer from a a wooded, you know, marshland um perspective. All right. And finally, we have the road paving program that we've developed with um staff and council. So, this is this looks like a spaghetti map here. Um it is every road in the burrow. And the the important pieces to look at here are the kind of the thicker red lines. Those are the roads that are proposed to be paved this year. There are quite a few other colors on here as you will notice. But I'm sure as soon as you drive around town, you will see the sheer volume of utility projects that are going on in this town. Um, Pico and Aqua have been

doing multiple reconstruction main replacement projects um over a host of different years. So that's ongoing and we are um not affecting or repaving roads that they're already working on. So, we have coordinated with Pico and Aqua to the best of all of our abilities in order to plan out their work for the next few years to make sure that we are paving the appropriate roads um that are not planned for future PICO or Aqua projects. We're also maximizing um their resurfacing requirements if they're doing a main replacement project in town. So, um there's you'll see on Jefferson Avenue that will be repaved. Lafayette has been repaved and I think there's maybe another project planned by one of the utility companies on Lafayette. So, um we're constantly working with the utility companies to work through what um what projects that they're doing.

So, we changed an ordinance that says if you open up so many feet of road, you have to repave it. Before they used to come in and just patch what they wanted to patch and walk away. Now that we send letters out to everybody saying we're going to pave these roads, you can't touch them for 5 years. If they touch them, they definitely have to repave them. Exactly. So, we got a good thing going, but we need to do a lot of alleys. There's a lot of things that aren't on there that need to be done. Uh, so there's a major projects that are going to happen this year besides the town being all ripped apart. I mean, every street in town right now, you know, where which street to go down with everything that's going on. Yeah.

Uh, and most I I'll say I a majority of the roads were paved in 2008 2009 through a comprehensive paving program that the burrow had implemented. So, um, there were some, again, you mentioned alleys and smaller side streets that were not paved as part of that program. These would be incorporated into this year's program. All right. So, this is now again kind of a recap of all the projects that we talked about tonight. Um, all in the anticipated cost of these projects is approximately $6 million. Um, we don't have final plans prepared for these uh all these projects at this point, but that is the anticipated budget numbers. So, what we did tonight, item three, was to have the burrow manager start getting bids for anybody that could start these projects. That's co co-star. So, the playground company is co-star. So, we can have him bid the job, award the job, and we we don't have to wait here 6 months trying to get something started.

Absolutely. Our main goal is to get Otter Street up and running before soccer season. Uh it's going to be a stretch, but we're going to push to get the parking lot done, get all the light bases in the lights. We may be waiting for the concession stand. Used to be what, 6 months. Now it's down to a few weeks. Yeah, it's like 10 to 14 weeks, I think, is time now. It went from Oh, you know, we could cut that time in half. and their cement structure. So that just gets plopped in. Everything's in it ready to go and all the prep work can be done in anticipation of waiting for the building to show up.

So the goal is to get Otter Street started immediately, all the playground started immediately, and to get the community garden and the basketball court started immediately because we don't want to keep crossing the tracks with big trucks. Once that's done, we can repave the path. And we're hoping by the end of the summer or fall, the path can get repaved. We just ripped about 300 ft of path out up here, and it's already crumbling again. So, the trees are a problem.

So, the root barrier, like Kurt said, we're going to try. There's no guarantee it's going to work. That people tell us it'll work. And a lot of trees that'll be removed will be replacing further back from the path. So I think it was a great presentation. I hope everybody's happy at home. As far as moving forward, there's two projects that are already in design phase. Is Memorial Field. We want to take that concession stand down because it's ready to fall down and maybe put a structure like you're going to see at Otter Street for a new press box and bathrooms and the firehouse. The firehouse there hasn't even been designed yet. So, we're going to try to come up with a design working with uh Steve and a and some firemen to try to get this thing designed. But we want to get a shovel in the ground hopefully by the fall or you know September, October somewhere around there. It's I know it's an aggressive schedule, but that's our goal is to try to get this firehouse built for these guys sooner than later.

And in addition to the fire station and Jefferson Avenue were mentioned, uh the road docks expansion would be the the last uh item on this slide where there's $1.5 million in grant funding that were was obtained. um through Congressman Fitzpatrick. So, uh again, we'd be looking to start um as soon as possible on the design for the dock expansion. So, we want to put docks to the left now of the pier. We have the pier. So, the docks uh what do we need? Another million dollars we applied for, right? Yeah. We're we're waiting on one grant announcement, but that's not till probably November. And but that is for another million dollars.

Okay. All right. So with that, I'm going to start opening up to uh questions from the public on anything you want to discuss. So anybody on this side of the room want to go to podium and state your name and address or your concerns?

Uh hi, my name is Rebecca Brooks. Um 345 Penn Street. What is it? 345 Penn Street. Um I have a couple questions um regarding the uh current location of the of the garden uh community garden and basketball courts. My understanding is there's a deed restriction on uh future use of that has to be um open park space. So my question is is that is that the case and is that indeed restriction been lifted for there are restrictions on it that we're working right now with the state to try to get lifted.

So until that's been resolved, we won't be building anything, but we won't be building a garden or basketball courts either. So we got to put the whole package together. So if we get the restrictions lifted, we're not going to spend a million dollars on a garden and basketball courts when we can't build. Yeah, that makes sense. Okay, thank you. Uh and then for the future I suppose this is also probably dependent on that as well but for the future location of the gardens uh is there going to be an environmental study to uh determine if that in ground you know if we're doing inground gardens that that there's not dangerous chemicals that we've been growing vegetables in.

Well I'm sure we'll get everything tested but right now you're on blackout. So, we just feel that natural soil that's been there undisturbed should be a lot safer than what you're on right now. And I talked to I mean, Donna, you don't have a problem that I discussed. You want to talk? Oh, and we I went over with her. She runs the garden and I think that at the end of the day, we'll make sure everything is the way it's supposed to be. uh and it'll be safe. We're not going to put something in the ground that's not safe. Okay.

I don't want to speak for Kurt and Amanda, but I would assume if there's any EPA or any other requirements that we would follow those rules, right? Yes. Okay. Uh and my final question is the um are the security cameras um what brand of cameras are will those be? Do we know are they cameras that are currently being? They're the same cameras that we have throughout town. It's it's uh the police department handles them, not us. Okay. They'll be monitored through the police department.

All right. Thank you. Hello, Alisa Miles, Radcliffe Street. I'm glad I came today. Um it's really great to see that you're doing a big recreation refresh. I think Bristol needs that. Um, I'm relatively new in Bristol. I've been here three years. And before that, I was in New Town Burrow and I was chair of the recreation board there. So, we built two playgrounds there. And before that, I built a playground in Philadelphia. So, I I didn't know I was getting a playground um presentation tonight. So, I like that. Familiar. Um, so a couple things I took some notes. Uh, one thing um you know, our climate's getting hotter. Our summers are really hot here. So, um, if we're putting in playgrounds and refreshing, we really need to think about our shade trees. I didn't see a lot of shade trees in the pictures, but I'm hoping that the plans will have a lot more shade trees and benches. Um, I didn't see any water fountain plants in the picture. Um, you know, taking your kid to the playground in the summer, it's hot, and water fountains are would be really appreciated. I don't know if that's in the plan or if one of the parks if you've considered doing a um splash park or spray park because if you're going to run the line for a water fountain, you could do a spray park. So if you're doing the proposal is for four playgrounds. I'm not sure. Bristol needs four. Maybe one could be

We have them already.

Yeah. I mean I don't know that it needs to be refreshed all four. Maybe one could be converted to a dog park and three refreshed um playgrounds. Just a thought. And also um when we did our playground refresh in or build in um Philadelphia, all three projects that we did, we got a lot of um community involvement and advice and what the community wanted. So, I didn't know if that was part of this or if these are the plans and the council just picks it out, but um if you wanted to put a a community committee together, you know, I'd be happy to be on that and I'm sure other people with young children would like to be on that, too. Um and the other thing I wanted to say, being on the recreation board in New Town, open space is really at a premium. You know, Bristol Burrow is a very developed burrow. Once you build on open space, you can't get that back. So, I don't know if your site for the fire station is really set, but you might want to consider redeveloping land that already has a building on it. Um because what we have now uh with the community garden and the the um basketball court, I was there Sunday and it was so well used. There were so many so many every court was being used and so many people in the garden and on the basketball court and it's really a great space right now. Um I do think currently there is enough parking there. So, the new plan having 50 spaces, um I don't think you're going to need 50 spaces for the community garden. And I think that's too much impervious surface to um to put um and I think I think it needs more shade trees or less trees coming out because I think the proposed

area it's pretty wooded there. So, you'd lose a lot of trees. So, trees, shade, water. That's that's my um my thoughts. Thanks a lot. Thank you. Anybody else on this side of the room? [clears throat]

Rachel came in Radcliffe Street and I second the water fountain um shade for the benches for the people who aren't playing on the jungle gym. Um, I would I thank you also for all the ADA considerations. That's very respectful. I ask that the council consider I know the snow is gone, but other municipalities when snow is like that, they make everybody park on only one side of the street so that they can plow completely the other side of the street and then everybody can swap. And with all the municipal parking, then we wouldn't have weeks of people trying to dig out or having a really narrow road. And the senior citizen population of Pennsylvania is growing by leaps and bounds. So, expecting burrow residents to be digging out their car is going to become um impractical. Um I have I thank you now for posting the agenda as a PDF on the website. I'm I am curious how far in advance that now happens. I'm hoping it's at least a week and I have looked online on the website and you're doing the Chestnut and Elm Street redevelopment and yet the trash contract has not been posted to the burough website and in that contract it says that it will not cover any commercial entities that don't already exist. And so if you're thinking about having a commercial entity in this new development, you need to know that you're on your own for trash pickup. And it I don't understand why the bureau doesn't post the contract. Other places post it before it's even signed so that they can have feedback. And we haven't even posted it and we're three years past. Well, not three, it was signed

October of 20 23. So, I ask that you post that online. Thank you. Anybody else on this side of the room?

I know Donna wants to speak, but [clears throat] [clears throat] Donna McCcluskey, Radcliffe Street. I'd like to thank the burrow for providing land over the past 12 years for our community to grow their own food at Adams Hollow Community Garden. We are very grateful to council for this partnership. And while I'm in full agreement for a consolidated fire department, I would like to go on the record that I am not in favor of the proposed location. I have to agree with the folks that spoke beforehand. Um, natural areas are really important and that area is the only central park that we have in town. um for people to go out and commune with nature and take nature walks and for the is important for mental health and for our wellness as a whole. Um I did have the opportunity to review the plans for the new garden with council president DJeppy. Uh we had a very good meeting. I am in favor of the plans for the new garden. Um, and I do look forward to working with council on that. So, thank you very much.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is Bill Pez. I live on Pawn Street. I'm going to be brief because I'm sure there's a lot of people that have some input they'd like to provide. Like to make a suggestion and then have a couple comments. The suggestion is maybe if the bureaus established a separate email account, an email address so that people with questions can submit them and they could be forwarded to the engineer and also people have suggestions they could do the same. It might it might facilitate communication. But I want to say uh I am so damn proud tonight to see what you guys are doing, the work that must have gone into this, the planning that went into this, and most of all the vision. And it's not just vision because we're not just talking about a vision, right? I'm not talking about a plan. You're going to do it right. You're going to implement it. And that's exciting. You know, I I I take kids sometimes to uh Holland, Pennsylvania for St. Bee's uh soccer programs and St. Bee's flag football programs. And when our kids get out of the car and they look at that complex, the lighting, the part, it's beautiful. And they're they're a little bit awed by it. And and to me, it's extremely important that our kids feel the same sense of pride that we have in other neighborhoods. and and and that's going to happen. I think it's going to facilitate the opportunity. I think more kids are going to want to play sports. I think more parents are going to want to coach or supervise or run a snack bar because that's the way those things tend to happen. Uh I I I also believe and everything I read about and I've done a little bit of reading about community development and community revitalization is that the better things look and the better they're lit, the more pride people take in their community. the more pride that young people take in our community. And and I know when we did the first dock, people said, "Well, what's in it for me? I don't have a boat." I think that story has now been written. The story has been written about why Bristol Burrow gets so many grants. And Kurt, don't tell don't tell the other towns, right? Because I know you do that sometimes. I know the other

towns tell you, "Why can't we get the same amount of grants?" That's a matter from you, Governor. [laughter] I don't want Debbie to go backwards.

But I think we've got a proven track record that when you give [clears throat] Bristol Burrow money, they know how to implement it and they use it and they use it well. Uh and I think that's important and it becomes a bandwagon effect. Uh so I think that's very good. Also, if you don't [clears throat] have a child or you don't want to skate along the uh bike or ride your bike along the bicycle path or anything like that, you want to say, "What's in it for me?" What's in it for you is that when people come to town, when people are looking for a home, and they see a community, a state-of-the-art community garden, and they see a track, it's brand new, and they see basketball courts and a jogging path that that And I like the best about this is that it transcends the entire town. You guys are impacting every neighborhood.

That's right. And that's so important. And when people come to town, they're thinking about investing. They're thinking about buying. And they see all the things that are taking place. There's no question what the outcome is. People want to buy. Property values go up. People want to fix their own homes if they're staying here. It's just an overall plus. So, I know there's going to be a lot of questions about things you have to tweak. That's why I think maybe if people have an opportunity to send you an email, say, "Here's a suggestion or here's a question because I heard some good ones tonight already." Um, that's good. But the overall plan, congratulations. You're hitting it out of the park and I'm very proud of what you're doing. Thank you. Anybody else on this side of the room, Steve? You want to

Okay. I was going to hold you to the end. I want you to uh Tony Ba Pawn Street. I live next to the park. What I would ask engineering to do with the park. I think everything's great when you design lighting, especially at Palmer and Wilson. design the lighting so it goes into the park overflow for myself my residence like right in my living room to make sure I would like make sure it's designed into the park and also I don't know if there's any fence planned for that section if there is try to make it at least 5 foot I know my res other residents would appreciate so kids aren't hopping over other than that everything's free that that playground's right in his yard just so you guys [laughter]

Hi my name is Taylor Dmet um I live on Harriet Avenue. I'm a relatively new resident of Bristol. I'm It's my third year living here and I love it so much. Um, and love all of the plans. It's really exciting. Makes me excited about planning roots here and maybe buying a house, which is really cool. Um, and I just wanted to say a couple of things about some of the recreational spaces with the proposed taking away one of the basketball courts. I walk my dog past the community garden every single day and those three courts are definitely used pretty often. Um, and I think that taking away one of the courts kind of maybe shows the kids that we don't care about them as much. Um, I'm a high school teacher in Philadelphia. That's what the kids are going to think. Um, and I see kids walking around all the time, which is amazing. I feel like I don't see kids walking around outside anymore. So, it's really nice to see that here in our community. So, I think we should try our best to prioritize the kids in this space, too. Like somebody else said, we don't need that much parking for the community gardens as well, especially because we don't need really parking for the basketball courts because most of the kids walk there or ride their bikes. So, I would also propose with that kind of like parking lot area that we could have a really nice like bike rack where kids could have their bikes in, put locks on them as well to kind of like bring those spaces all together.

That's something we did forget, but that'll be implemented. Thank you. Thank you. [laughter] Thanks for your input. Anybody else on this side of the room? Anybody on this side? Everyone want to speak? Thank you.

Hi, I'm Shay Chu. I live on Adams uh or on Porter Avenue, which is off of Adams. Uh our backyard is views the um basketball courts and the gardens um that have been fielded there. From my fence in my backyard, there is literally a strip of land this big. Then there is the um hollow the Alo Creek uh runoff that concreted area. Unless you walk that path and you clear a little burn, you're not going to see it, but there's a 10ft runoff that's concreted from the Adams Taller Creek. Then there's another 10 ft. Then there's the path. Then there's another approximately 15 ft. the nursery basketball courts. There's approximately 500 feet from my backyard to the Delaware Canal and approximately 500 feet from Jefferson Avenue to uh Adam's Hollow Creek. I don't know the size of the the the fire the proposed fire station, which again I am in support of combining. I'm just not in support of it in the application as it will be in my backyard literally. I don't know what kind of um footprint that is going to even if you're there's already those imperial space the basketball courts and the garden that you would you know utilize and some of that is the parking lot that's already there. I I don't know what this is going to look like and that's what makes me nervous but it it is literally my backyard that we're we're looking at. We're talking about the lights. We're talking about the noise. We're talking about um the uh the sun reflection, the shadow reflection. I mean, if you're talking about a 35 ft building that is 20 to 30 ft from my backyard, you're you're literally going to be looking into my pool while I'm on my deck. Um, and without having any definite information from the council on where exactly it's going to be, I understand

why, and how it's going to be designed, which I understand why. This is very upsetting. We lived there for I've lived in the burrow for over 30 years. My husband's lived here his whole life. Um, and we love our house. We love our backyard. We love I I can literally have a conversation with somebody on the basketball courts. If I raise my voice just slightly louder than I normally talk. Um, so I'm really really concerned about using this open space that is beautiful and and there, you know, the overflow from baseball. Kids play on that field there. Um, just taking walks and it's just it's just really nice open space area. I understand our limitation on places to go, but um again, I have a list of issues like you know the the there there supposed to be a 10-ft um environmental wall between residential areas and any other commercial or or business lake sectors. I don't know how to apply that or if you're going to apply that based on the area that you're in. Could you have to be 100t back from the Delaware Canal plus you have the Adam Talo Creek? Like I just don't understand how that your building is going to fit there. The traffic, the lights, the the engines, the sirens. How long how loud is is the fire siren? Well, it says again according to my research that it's going to sound like a jackhammer is going off in my bedroom when the fire go off. I'm not looking forward to that. My my home thing is not going to go off. It's going to go down because I'm going to be looking at a fire station. So, um, more information sooner is is appreciated than later. Um, and I just feel like the public, we had that whole um, Save the Garden, which was preemptive, too soon. Whoever started that, I don't know, it wasn't involved and it just knew it happened. Ralphie shut it down early. He said, "We're too soon. We can't talk about that." But now, is this is this our opportunity for the public to say where

they want to? I shut it down. Yeah. remember you had the council meeting and um it was like someone had organized the whole save the garden. There was a flyer that went out. It was on Facebook and you were like, "Yo, it's too early. It's too early. We can't talk about saving the garden. Nobody's talking about moving it." And well, what I said from the beginning was if the garden's ever moved, there'll be another garden. Yes. Yes. And even better. Yes. But also about the location of the firehouse. You know, it was too soon to say where it's going to go and we're not going to make equipment on. So when is that discussion help? So let me just tell you, you know, I don't pull any punches. Yeah.

As far as I'm I know the firehouse is going there and council is 100% committed to putting that firehouse where the basketball courts in the garden is. It may couple people may be unhappy, but my job sitting here is to protect the residents of this town and so does council. And when I update this fire, guys need to get out. If it's going out the harm and it's going to save you or your kids or your grandkids that's in that house, I want them to get there as fast as they can. I'm not worrying about going around Jefferson Avenue, but right now they're running from number threes or they're running from LA. They're going in different directions. We need a state-of-the-art facility just like we did our public works building and everything else we have accomplished in this town. It's for the betterment of the residents of this town.

You don't want to hear a siren. I don't know what to tell you. But when that truck goes out, it's only going out because there's a fire. You're not going to hear any noise. All these firehouses are in residential areas right now. You don't hear people when these guys go to a fire, they're not using sirens. They got their lights on to get there, but when they leave, you'll hear it. I mean, number three's been on Swain Street for years. Yes. That's just in nature. People that live on Garden Street hear the train go by. I can hear the train go by. So, knowing that right there, I'm going to hear. What I'm trying to say to you is I'm not going to sit here and sugarcoat it.

We're not going to change anything because we have people that are unhappy. This firehouse is going to be built for the next hundred years, generations to come. And it's it's going to get built, believe me, no matter what we have to do. I understand what you're saying and I I get so in the beginning that that was the location. It's not Ralph's decision where it's going. It's not council's decision where it's going. Right there. The firemen are recommending that location. And I'll have Steve explain at some point before we're done.

All right. [clears throat] Maybe because of the location of the central of town, but why wasn't it said from the get up, we're going on Jefferson. That's where we're going. There's no discussion. Well, we still don't know we could put it there. There's restrictions on the ground. All right. What's our second option? What have we There are no second options. I mean, we talked about this. We talked about Warren Snider's ground, but when there's kids going to school in the morning, it's so congested. What do you do if there's a fire? We talked about the park. It doesn't work over there. We talked about the parking lot at the train station. They don't want to give it up. We approached it. So tell me another location that we can go on.

No, I'm just asking. Then this is this is set. There's no way around it. Once you guys jump all through whatever hoops that has to be jumped through for governmental once we get licensing the day we get clearance to build this firehouse, it's gone up. Okay. And we'll be notified beforehand. When we get clearance? Yeah. Yeah. for so I can know when construction's going to hurt start right behind my house. Well, it's not right behind your house. There literally is 10 ft of 20 ft from the path. I can throw you can I can throw you a ball from my yard. I know. So, all right. Well, I appreciate your comments. Thank you. Anybody else want this?

Hi, Denise Smith. I live on Garfield Street and it's exciting to hear all of this. Uh I grew up here so and I remember the basketball courts on the other side there. So um my question isn't about that. I just have three. Um is there an update on that building where old Mill Run used to be? Um I see it. We wish. We wish. Well, just so you know, they had final inspections from the burrow. So everything finally passed. They're waiting for state licensing now. That's right.

Is there a name for it? And is there applications or anything or how do we Okay. All right. Anyway, um the other question I had is I live on Garfield and there's that Haye Street that I told you about, that stop that nobody wants to stop at. One day it's going to be tragic. So if there's anything you can do about that stop sign that everybody blows and some people who live here in Bristol who think they're entitled don't stop at lots of other stops. You have the chief put a car out there for you. I said um you can make a lot of money. [laughter]

I mean literally I holler and everything. And my other question is, a friend of mine that I work with almost hit a couple of girls on those motorized um scooters.

Yes. Is there an ordinance or some kind of law that they should follow just like cars do or something like that? Cuz she was just so upset about that. And I've seen a lot of them just not stop anything, you know, so that they don't get hurt. and somebody doesn't mess up their car. Oh, one more thing. Um, is there going to be training for the crossing guards? Because I did when I was a crossing guard was officer faith. And so anyway, thank you. [clears throat]

I've worked live Brian Gasper. I live on Mansion Street. So it cost $6 million for this. Are we using grants for that? I assume. No. Right now we're going to use borrow funds. Okay. Because I know we're operating on budget uh deficit. Is that already incorporating the budget or is that going to be prolonged? It'll be taking one time. It's one time expenditures and taking revenue from some money that we have to pay it. Okay. There won't be no loans or anything.

Got it. And then for the courts, I recommend that we should make multi-purpose courts. We can do uh like tennis, pickle ball, volleyball, shuffle board. I know there's a couple companies out there that can manufacture on that work with you guys or who does that, but thank you. Anybody else on this side of the room? Nobody. Can I ask uh Kurt a question with regards to the uh garden? I I couldn't tell in the pictures what's the surface that that the uh gardeners will be walking on in the walkways in the new uh garden.

Uh we consulted with our landscape architects who have done these in the past and they're uh recommending it's a a wood fiber mulch. Now that was would that would that be a problem for elderly people and moving around in there? As of right now they're on they're on blacktop so it's pretty secure. Yeah. No. Uh it's been used before and it's been successful and it's use as Ralph said there's going to be ADA accessible uh facilities in that path that uh runs the length of the garden almost the same stuff that's in the playgrounds. Correct.

And the other thing is the the fence that's going around I saw it's a sixoot fence. Is that [clears throat] going to be secure for that area? I think right now they have 10ft fence maybe. that the gates are going to be operated with either a key card or something that the garden people need to let us know how they want. Right now I think it's a padlock. It might even be higher though, right? I mean the fence the height of the gate or the fence. I don't think it needs to be higher than I think that's pretty high. Yeah, it comes in whatever height you want. So,

I'm just thinking about security with kids climbing over and I don't know if that happens where they're at now.

Betty's not feeling good. Her sugar's dropping, so she's got to leave. Thank you. Sorry, guys. There's candy in there. Yeah. All right. Anybody else on this side of the room? Anybody want me to come back to this side or so nobody could You want to go to the podium? You want to go to the podium and state your name?

My name's Paul Stillwagon, Radcliffe Street. So, I did want to say something about the fence and six foot is not high enough, but the fence that Amtrak used, I believe, is six foot, but it has a curl on the top and that would deter a turn I think or or I don't want to say bar wire because it's so ugly, but something that that juts out, you know, because six foot's not high enough and 8 foot. What are we at now at the tennis courts? 10 ft. 8 foot at the at the at the garden. Yeah, that's 10 ft. We're not putting that up. No, I knew like a prison. I knew that.

I think a black fence with the curl tops or something decorative is going to look very nice. Okay. I'm just Yeah. Look, if somebody wants to get in, they're going to cut like they did. Not somebody. They cut the chain link.

Somebody's I the the police will worry about that with the cameras off. It's the deer. And there are a lot of deer and they will demolish a crop in our crops in a in a day. Uh the surface I wanted to say something about the surface we have now. The black top has given us an extended growing period because it keeps our soil warmer. We can grow we grow late November. We're still growing. So that kind that that is important. I'm not saying black top our garden, but it it was a helpful part to that garden. It gave us more time to grow. So, I like I, you know, it's bigger. That second spot you have for an expanded part of the garden, you may be able to throw additional quartz in there cuz we won't need it and we certainly don't need a that size park here. Well, if you don't need it, the garden could be moved forward and there could be another court back there.

That's fine with I I don't care about it. Um the trees now could be an issue for us because if they shade our garden, that doesn't that doesn't help us. So, I'm sure a lot of trees when you're thinking about taking down the trees, you might want to think about what we need. Well, I think they took everything you can think of. taking all them trees out. No consideration. Oh, okay. Good. We know you need sun. Yes, we do. And water and water. Anybody else on this side of the room want to speak?

So, anybody out in the hallway want to say anything? So, Steve, why don't you just give us another wrap up of why we're moving in this direction because your opinion means more to this council than so, uh, good evening, council president, member, members of council, mayor, and the residents of Bristol Burough. First, I want to thank Burough Council for their leadership and commitment to this, uh, project as we move forward. Uh, this has been a long process, as we all know, and tonight is a major step moving forward. Uh, I also want to speak to uh directly to our neighbors uh from the gardening club and our recreation communities. Um, we understand how important these spaces are. Uh, we're not here to take something away from you. We're here just to build something better. Uh, as this project moves forward, we want to create a space where the the fire department, the gardening club, and our recreational programs can all stay connected to community in a meaningful way. uh to speak to our neighbor uh that lived on Adam Porter Avenues there. Um there was a study that was uh completed uh several years ago by uh the DCED. It was a fire protection study. Um it concluded that the best area would have been in area Washington and Dor Street. Again, another open space. Um I actually spoke to uh the individual who did that study uh explained to him the the most updated space that was going to be uh potentially used and again he thought it was a grand slam. So again this comes right from the individual who conducted that that study. Um again consolidation actually matters right a centralized firehouse means a faster response time better staffing better training and a more sustainable future for our volunteers here in Bristol Burough. As again, as I mentioned several years ago when I did a as as uh presentation to

council at the time, it was $1.7 million to staff one fire engine uh uh 24 hours a day uh 7 days a week, 365 days out of the year. $1.7 million. We don't have that that money. Um again, this project brings all four uh fire companies each with over 100 years of history, 100 years of being in these um in these neighborhoods to uh together deliver the best service possible. But, you know, as we talked a lot [laughter] about recreation and and you know, I'm just listening to the numbers here. You're talking about two to five and then now you're talking 5 to 12. uh the age groups that you're you're you're uh focusing on um when it comes to recreation, which obviously very important. Um one of the most important things I'm proud of and our organization is proud of is what we're doing with these kids. Uh we're working with the school district and the academic oversight committee getting into the getting into the high school, meeting these kids, and giving them uh positive ways to be a part of this community. We have a strong junior's firefighter program for 14 to 17 year olds. And at 17, we send them send them to basic fire academy at no cost, giving them a real f foundation for a future in the fire service, either in the volunteer side or the career. Um, we're also working to develop a summer fire cadet program for youth ages 12 to 17. There's some money that's out there. Um, I don't have any news on it just yet, but again, this something that we were trying to work on beginning part of this year. And again, that's going to focus on building skills, discipline, and confidence in these young kids. Um, and we're also partnering with Chief Moores, the Bristol B Police Department, and Judge Chickleti, uh, to provide meaningful community service opportunities that helps guide young people in a positive

direct direction. Um, so that there are the things that that that we're working on and we're very thankful for uh the investment that that you're putting into uh not even just recreation garden club but fire department park also. So that's that's what I have.

Thank you. The problem is Steve, everybody thinks it can go somewhere. I don't think nobody realizes what's involved in the response line. That fire on Darn Street the other way. If we didn't get there and the wind was blowing the other way, you may have taken the whole row out. So, they were very fortunate. I know the chief was there within minutes, but we still had to get trucks there, and it took a little bit to get the response time was quick, but it took a while to get trucks to that fire. I I I would say your response time could be even quicker. Um, as AJ has mentioned before and chief has mentioned before, fires double in size every 30 seconds. Um, I don't really use that tragedy as a springboard to anything. Um, but you you have modern uh components for building with the old wood that's underneath of it. You have what you have.

So, every 30 seconds a fire doubles. That's right. So, it shows you that the quicker you get somewhere, the better it is. Correct. That's why we're going to build you a firehouse. Okay. Uh, anybody think that we hopefully everybody's happy and the town should be happy and like I said, can I can I just say something before we conclude?

Um, I I just wanted to say um first of all, I I absolutely appreciate literally everyone that spoke here tonight because this, in my opinion, is a true community meeting, right? in the sense of we have many people that have absolute legitimate interests and legitimate concerns about a project that we are very proud of but also aware of um you know the impact that it's going to be having on our community. What I will say is that um I want to first obviously thank Council President DJ Jeppi for all the work that he has led us on in this in this

I uh endeavor. I also want to thank uh many people, but specifically Donna McCuskkey, who is an strong advocate for her position always, and we need that. I truly believe that we need someone that's going to advocate in a burrow like this for those open spaces. And we are well aware of those impacts. But we as council people have to weigh certain things, certain factors, right? And those factors are the impact it's going to have on our community for our entire community, right? and that is safety. Obviously, I would think all of us prioritize safety. And I'm not saying that the people that are upset about the the firehouse where it's going don't prioritize that. I certainly understand what your concern is. But we have been advised, we've done the research to find out that the experts say this is the best spot. That makes it difficult for people on Porter Avenue. Absolutely does. And what I will say to you is what I said to uh Mrs. McCuskkey uh almost over almost almost two years ago and that is when this was brought to the forefront about the possible location of where it would be and how it might impact the garden. I said what I can promise you is what I will always do and what this council will always do is what we think is best for the community and that is the biggest promise that I'm going to make. And on top of that, I would promise you that if you are going to be displaced, that your garden will be built before anything else continues with this firehouse. And those are promises that this council has made and I think we're proud to say that we're following through with them. There are definitely people out there that I understand are going to be disappointed in where this is going. Um, but these are decisions that we want to make because we are elected to be here to do that, right? They're not always easy decisions, but what we I think we've accomplished tonight is public safety, unbelievable investment in recreation, a state state-of-the-art garden. Is everybody getting everything they want?

No. To me, that's usually pretty good government when it ends up where we're just trying to find the median place where we can really do what's best for our community. It's not always going to make everyone happy, but I think we found a really good common ground here. And that's my opinion. You have anything?

I just um I [clears throat] hope everyone realizes how hard and I know people get upset with me for saying thank you to people, but Ralph Dy Jeppi has worked tirelessly for this. I'm I'm sorry. That's you know people have to understand that this is not an easy job. He has a lot of communication with state representative, with Congress, with just everyone. And he he always gets us money that we need. And he always has the best interest of the whole town. Look at this town today. It's 100% better than it was what, 10, 20 years ago. And I don't know who could sit here and say we're not in a better position than we were 20 years ago. Like way better. That's all I have to say.

You have anything?

Yeah. Um yes. Um I think we have a good problem. I think we have a good problem. Um, us sitting here as council community, we all have vested interest. We all want the best for this town. That's a good problem to have. How we get there? Hey, we have this way. We have that way. But as long as, and I've always said that since I've been here, as long as we stick together, and we can work through it, we have a good problem. We're talking about advancing the town in terms of recreation, in terms of parking. We're talking about these are good problems to have. We're not talking about things that we need to fix that are so detrimental. No, we're [clears throat] talking about improvement and how we're going to get there. Yeah, there's going to be some conflict. There's going to be this, but we the same vested interest. We want the best for the town. That's a good problem to have. And I'm just so happy that I'm sitting here to hear tonight the improvements that are happening in town, especially with the playgrounds. I have two young children. They're 10 and eight. My sons are going to benefit from this project. And yeah, is it selfish? Absolutely is. But guess what? I'm proud of it. I'm proud of it. and social. Social. So, like I said, we have a good problem. We all have the same interest. We want the best for this town. What it looks like, how we're going to get there. Yeah. Going to be some discussion. But guess what? We all want the same thing. So, the more we work together, the more we're together and put differences aside, the faster we can get there. And that's all I can say.

Thank you, Ryan. [laughter]

the quiet one. Uh I I am I'm very excited to actually see the parks and everything come together. Um like everyone knows like I I help with the I run the basketball program and when we brought those kids basketballs to see the smiles on their faces like I want to see what they smile like when they get new courts and new playgrounds. Um, I'm sorry for the people that are upset for the relocation of the firehouse, but safety first, like in my mind always. But, um, I'm excited in the way that we are going. Thank you. Marie, you have anything?

Um, all I want to say is just, uh, thank you, Al, for leading us. And um I'm actually honored to be sitting here with this group and to see all the hard work being put into what's happening in this town. So I'm very honored to be sitting here. Thank you, Lily.

Yes. I have two things. One, I was very happy when I'm watching Channel 6 news the other night and they fa featured Fink Forest for their 70 years in business. It was nice to have a a local business and that kind of promotion. The other thing I wanted to mention is u and Alisa is my neighbor and I I know she pushes for trees and I agree with her and it's but it's always a difficult subject because somebody will say they don't want a tree because it goes in their sewer line or lifts their sidewalk up. But we need we need trees. And on Sunday, April 26 from 2 to 4 pm, uh they're going to celebrate Earth and Arbor Day at the Bristol Friends Meeting House. And this is Rain or Shine. And I'm going to have the uh I'm going to have their poster posted on our website to uh to promote the trees in in Bristol. and we we always try to consider them but sometime we lose the battle but we're going to keep pushing for tree streetlined tree line streets in Bristol Burough. Thank you. Do you have anything?

Nope. It could be. So before we we conclude, I just want to say uh the logo that was created, believe it or not, was created by my wife. First thing she did for me in 25 years. You better watch. Oh my god. And she used she used a little help from that guy AI, but when I came home, she she Well, there's nothing wrong with that. You said that's the only thing she's done for politics. I said Oh, no you didn't. [clears throat] But she's a great logoing cleaning. It's done.

I think it's a great logo that says our town, our future. And uh I think it's it is our future. It's our kids' future, our grandkids future. And I think it's something that we definitely need to keep moving forward on. And uh let me just make sure there's nothing I'm missing. What's your wife texting you? No. Just don't want to miss anything.

You guys know about the street sweeper starting. Uh there'll be a grace period for what a week or two two weeks. Two weeks before we we don't want to give tickets. We want to keep the streets clean. So move your vehicle. And I want to thank the people that ran the pub crawl. It was an outstanding event that day. Karen Doppson, our team did an outstanding job and the people that ran it. Uh, chief, you'll have a wrapup meeting with them hopefully. And did I say something?

Um, also the accident that happened on Pod Street had nothing to do with the pub crawl. Was not somebody that was involved in the pub crawl. Just wanted everybody to know.

And the last thing is Elman Chassin Street. Just to bring up the date on that, that bid should be coming in. It was postponed twice. It should be in the I think the RDA is this Thursday. Yeah, I think it's just I think it's Thursday where the bids will be coming in for Elman and Chestn Street. So, with that, I'm always available if anybody needs to talk to me about anything. Uh it's easier to instead of going on Facebook, all these and and commenting if you want to get the truth, just uh contact me or call the burough manager or any council member and we'll be glad to sit down and talk to you. With that, I need a motion to adjourn by Lorraine, second by Maria. Me. All in favor?

I