EASTON, Pa. (WLVT) - Flashes of color are popping up around Easton, hoping to get your attention. Pinwheels are spinning in seven "pocket parks" in the city’s West Ward and South Side neighborhoods:
- Bushkill Street Park (1030 Bushkill Street)
- Centennial Park (1216 Ferry Street)
- Jackson Street Park (1142 Jackson Street)
- Nesquehoning Street Park (325 West Nesquehoning Street)
- Porter School Park (117 Wilkes Barre Street)
- Raspberry Street Park (1425 Spruce Street)
- 7th Street Park (102 North 7th Street)
"These are located within the neighborhood, and they're nestled away a lot of times in between homes, so people don't always know that they're actually parks," said Amy Boccadoro, manager of West Ward Community Initiative.
The City of Easton received a $15,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The city matched that amount and hired Easton-based landscape architecture and planning firm Omnes to help come up with a master plan.
"These are great parks, and there's good bones," said Omnes principal Laura Stedenfeld. "People are really excited about this next generation of public space. So, we're really collaborating with the city to really advance the quality of public space here, too."
"They help to enhance neighborhoods," Boccadoro added. "It increases property value, if you would believe that, by a substantial amount when you live close to a park.”
Enhancing open space and recreation is one of six goals laid in the West Ward Neighborhood Plan adopted last year. The pocket parks are pieces of city property that could meet that goal.
"The South Side and West Ward are very residentially-dense neighborhoods," Boccadoro said. "Not everybody has large backyards, or they may share them with other tenants in a property. So, to have that outdoor space is really important here."
The city and Omnes are asking for public input to help shape the master plan. There’s a survey online, and the city plans to hold socially-distant drop-in sessions at each park next month to hear what residents want.
"In some cases, it could be housing, affordable housing -- or, in other cases where it makes sense, it could be open space," said city administrator Luis Campos. "It really depends on the community."
"I'd love to see a skate park somewhere," Boccadoro said. "I have a lot of neighbors on my block that love to skate, and I'd love them out of the street for safety reasons, but I think they deserve that kind of space."
The pinwheels will spin until Wednesday. Each park has a different color, and city officials hope people will take one from each of them.
"Hopefully, that's enough to get folks interested in the community to look up the project online and get involved and give us some input," Campos said.
To learn more about the pocket parks and to take the survey, click HERE.