ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WLVT) - Valania Park on Union St. in Allentown will be getting renovations, thanks to grants from the state’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The grant totaled $250,000 and the city’s Community Development Block Grant funding will be used to match that total.
Allentown Parks and Recreation Director, Karen El-Chaar, said the renovations are still in the design phase. The city wants to replace the pavilion, add a spray park for kids, resurface the basketball court, add new pathways, and install permanent bathrooms.
“We need to keep the parks in excellent condition,” said El-Chaar. “Not only for us now, but also for future generations.”
The mayor commented on the park in a statement released by the city, saying “current conditions do not meet the needs of nearby residents and visitors.”
In 2017, the city said they sent letters to nearby residents letting them know about the plans for renovation, while seeking public input on how the new park should look. El-Chaar said they used a lot of the public comment to create the new designs.
Allentown’s Jordan Park is also going to see renovations in the future. The city received a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation to help build a new skate park and there will also be a new, greenway trail near Jordan Park as well. El-Chaar said the city hopes it will create better connectivity for people who work near center city.
Currently, demolition at Valania Park is set to be finished by the end of this year, and officials are hoping the new renovations can be completed by 2021.
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