A final plan for two synthetic turf fields in Quarry Park should be completed within a month and be ready to go before Lower Macungie Township commissioners for approval.
Township manager Bruce Fosselman made that prediction as a new Quarry Park “initial conceptual sketch plan” including the fields was presented to two township commissioners during their public works and facilities committee meeting Monday night.
The new plan presents two larger synthetic turf fields than previously envisioned, with a concrete spectators plaza between them— complete with portable bleachers and shade trees.
Other proposed Quarry Park improvements include a much larger parking lot, a concession building, a storage and maintenance building, a picnic grove and renovated restrooms and playground.
The surfaces of two natural grass soccer fields and two softball fields would be “rejuvenated” in the park to improve their quality.
The new concept also proposes additional trails, trees and even riparian barriers in the park.
How much of all that becomes reality will depend on how close the total cost comes to the $3.3 million the township has allocated for the project.
One thing the new plan does not include is a dog park, which was added to the Quarry Park proposal just before commissioners voted 3-2 late last year to include that $3.3 million in Lower Macungie’s 2015 budget for the synthetic fields project.
Township commissioner Brian Higgins, who serves on the public works committee, said a dog park still could be included at Quarry Park.
But he indicated the township probably will have two dog parks and the first priority will be put one in Camp Olympic Park along Cedar Crest Boulevard.
AstroTurf’s reps
Last Thursday night, township commissioners voted 3-2 to hire the AstroTurf company to design and build the Quarry Park project.
That night, Fosselman said AstroTurf representatives would be at Monday night’s committee meeting to present their proposal for the park and offer a timeline for completion of the project.
The plan was presented by Gary Souilliard, senior project manager of Grace Industries in Bath and David Horn, president of Architerra, a landscape architectural firm in Coopersburg that specializes in park design.
Souilliard introduced himself as representing both AstroTurf and Grace, explaining Grace is the regional distributor and installer for AstroTurf.
Although Fosselman had encouraged anyone interested in plans for Quarry Park to attend Monday’s public meeting, only 10 people showed up — and nearly half of them were township staffers.
Reminding officials that many Lower Macungie residents oppose the township’s plan to install the artificial turf fields, resident Chris Donatelli said: “It’s unfortunate that a lot of people don’t show up at these meetings. There’s a lot of concern out there.”
It was tough for the audience to follow some of the conversation about the project because the concept plan was placed flat on a table, around which sat the two commissioners, township administrators and project developers.
“This is just a concept, this is not a final design, this isn’t a finished design,” stressed Souilliard. “This definitely needs input from the township.”
Horn agreed, saying the concept was developed “with very little interaction from the township.”
“What we have is what the professionals are saying would work,” said Fosselman. “Now it’s up to us to determine how we want it to work.”
The township manager stressed he wants “to keep the momentum going.”
Horn recommended “a core group” of township representatives meet to determine “what the best fits are” for Quarry Park and “evolving the design.”
Between now and late March, the AstroTurf representatives regularly will be meeting with township officials to develop that final plan.
They will include Commissioners Higgins and Douglas Brown, who make up the public works committee; Fosselman; public works director Dennis Hinkel; planning director Sara Pandl; township engineer Alan Fornwalt; township project manager Lee Lichtenwalner, and Julie McDonell, treasurer of the township parks and recreation board.
“My goal is to make sure, when we come back here in a month, that we have the final plan that we’re ready to take before the board [of commissioners],” said Fosselman.
The township manager said no actual construction will begin until mid-August.
The new plan
Horn explained the new sketch plan is the first step in developing a comprehensive plan for Quarry Park.
It proposes two lighted synthetic turf fields, each 239 feet wide and 376 feet long.
Horn explained each field will be designed as a maximum-sized soccer field for players of high school age, “because all other sports fit within that.”
Because soccer can be played on a variety of field sizes, he added: “You could actually play three youth soccer games across each field.”
He said each field also could be used for regulation field hockey, regulation lacrosse for “both genders” and regulation football.
“It gives you maximum versatility in use, which means a bigger bang for your buck.”
The new plan also proposes eliminating a 32-space parking lot and replacing it with a new 169-space lot. Horn said that many spaces will be needed “when the park’s in full swing.”
He said the new playground area would be designed for two different age groups.
“One thing nice about a design/build is you can pick and choose what you’re doing as you’re going forward with the project,” said Souilliard.
“It gives you the opportunity to build what you want, what you can afford.”
Horn said stormwater basins might not be needed in the park, because stormwater might be managed beneath the synthetic turf fields. He added more than half of such projects handle stormwater in that manner.
Dissenting opinions
Brown, who does not support installing the artificial turf fields at Quarry Park, said the sketch plan presented Monday “was where we should have started last year.”
Brown indicated he would prefer to see a composite study of three parks done before moving ahead with the artificial turf fields.
They are Quarry, Creamery and an unnamed and undeveloped 70-acre park property along Spring Creek Road just north of Alburtis.
Higgins said Creamery Park primarily is used for soccer.
Ron Beitler, the only other township commissioner attending the meeting, also repeatedly has voted against the artificial turf fields project.
During the meeting, Beitler suggested only one artificial turf field may needed to meet the township’s needs, because each field will be much larger than originally envisioned.
“The driver of this project is we have a deficiency in playable hours on our sports fields,” said Beitler. “We have too much demand for what we can provide.”
Beitler said if just one artificial turf field would be developed, the money saved by not building the second field could be used to illuminate existing natural grass fields in township parks.
Higgins said girls’ lacrosse teams now play at Farmington Hills Park, which he said is not designed for athletic competition and “is actually a hazard to play on.”
Higgins said two artificial turf fields at Quarry Park will mean Farmington Hills Park will return to use for passive and spontaneous recreation. He indicated at least one other township park is being inappropriately used in a similar fashion.
Horn of Architerra said “a national rule of thumb” is that one synthetic turf field “is minimally the equivalent of two natural grass fields. If you put lighting on that synthetic turf field, it’s minimally the equivalent of three natural grass fields. We’re seeing it’s four or five times more.”
How AstroTurf was picked
Fosselman has said AstroTurf is one of three major manufacturers of such fields.
Lower Macungie did not bid on the project, but got identical initial estimates for the fields through a cooperative purchasing agreement with the Cooperative Purchasing Network, a national purchasing cooperative.
At the Feb. 5 commissioners meeting, Fosselman said AstroTurf was one of two companies being considered just to install the two fields and that each company would charge the same amount: $585,000.
But now AstroTurf, apparently through Grace Industries and Architerra, will design and build the entire park project.
Horn said the companies had to come up with the conceptual plan to compete with other proposals that were being considered by the township.
Despite the concept plan presented Monday, Lower Macungie does not yet have a contract with AstroTurf, said Higgins.
Said Horn: “I would encourage the process of contract development to begin sooner rather than later.”
Souilliard indicated that contract will be signed for the full project after the township decides exactly what it wants and the “hard costs” are developed.
He explained the cost of components of the design, possibly including some optional components, can be added into the design/build total package.
The new concept for the two fields and other improvements proposed in the 35-acre park is different from an earlier concept plan presented last September by D’Huy Engineering of Bethlehem.
The township paid $4,000 for that D’Huy plan.
Expanding community center?
Also during the meeting, the two-man public works committee decided to recommend to all five commissioners that a $4,000 study be done to determine if the township’s Community Center should be expanded or a second community center built.
Brown said the study should be done by an architectural firm, but acknowledged “$4,000 isn’t going to get you a whole lot in the way of a study.”
Brown said the community center on the township campus along Brookside Road contains an HVAC system that is large enough to expand the building.
He said that building needs a second gymnasium.
Higgins predicted expanding the community center could cost $5 million.
Higgins suggested a second community center could be created in another part of the township.
He said one possible location would be the existing Weis grocery store along Route 100 near Macungie when a new Weis is built across the street.
Seeking state grants
Pandl, the township planning director, proposed that Lower Macungie seek two $150,000 state grants from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Brown and Higgins recommended to the full board of commissioners that it approve Pandl making those grant applications.
One grant would be used to complete a half-mile-long trail segment that would cross Little Lehigh Creek between Spring Creek Road and Creamery Park.
The other grant would be used for two projects in Camp Olympic Park: improving the park’s “upper barn” for meeting and activities space and creating a dog park.
Higgins later said the township’s parks and recreation board recently has recommended dog parks be installed in both Camp Olympic and Quarry parks, but in Camp Olympic first.
Pandl said the two grant applications must be submitted by April 10 but the township won’t find out if it wins the grants until November.
She indicated the work would be done over a few years.
Because the township has to match both grants, she said it will cost Lower Macungie $300,000, but added that would be over three years. So the township will have to budget $100,000 a year for three years if it wins the state grants.
Mack or Peterbilt?
Township officials are undecided about purchasing a new dump truck from Mack or Peterbilt.
Hinkel, the public works director, said the Mack would be more expensive, but slightly heavier and with more horsepower.
The township has budgeted $180,000 for a dump truck.
Hinkel said the Mack dump truck would cost $198,096, but the Peterbilt dump truck would cost $174,718.
“Personally, I could live with either one,” said Hinkel. “Some of the guys prefer Mack, some of the guys prefer Peterbilt.”
Hinkel said the Peterbilt truck would be built in Texas, while the Mack would be built in Mack’s Lower Macungie plant.
“Which one do you want?” Hinkel asked the two-member committee.
“I would very much prefer to go with the Mack, just because they are here,” said Higgins. “But it’s a substantial difference.”
Fosselman and Hinkel will discuss the pros and cons of the two trucks and make a recommendation to all five commissioners at their next meeting.
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