S. Lebanon Township receives funding toward park playground equipment

New playground equipment is being pursued for South Hills Park in South Lebanon Township.

During their bimonthly board meeting on March 24, supervisors approved a contract to accept a Marcellus Shale grant for the project. The grant will cover up to $25,000 toward the cost of the equipment.

Marcellus Shale funds are given to counties through a fee placed on natural gas wells. The money received by Lebanon County is distributed to projects that focus on planning, acquiring, developing, and revitalizing for greenways, recreational trails, open spaces, and natural areas.

“I know we’ve been putting this off for a couple of years trying to get grant money,” said chairman Stephen Krause.

The estimated cost to replace all the main playground equipment at South Hills is approximately $197,000. The township has also applied for funding through a Local Share Account grant. Additional funds needed for the project will come through the township’s recreational fund.

Additionally, South Hills Park will receive new signage after the board approved a request from the September 11 Memorial Trail organization. The signage is part of the group’s effort to develop a multi-use trail connecting three national memorials of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The board then awarded Pennsy Supply the paving bid for summer paving projects. After tabulation, the cost comes out to be $413,006.01.

The township paving project are as follows: 

• East Evergreen Road – from JayAnn Drive to just east of the car wash.
• Larkspur Lane – full length of the road.
• Edgewood Drive – full length of the road.
• Margin Road – full length of the road.
• Clover Drive – from East Evergreen Road to Edgewood Drive.
• Monticello Drive – from South Lincoln Avenue to just west of Cambridge Drive.
• Cambridge Drive – from Monticello Drive to north of Oxford Drive.
• Oxford Drive – full length of the road. 

In other business, the board unanimously approved: 

• A through lot at 166 Valley View Place for a fence.
• A through lot at 172 Valley View Place for a fence.
• A through lot at 290 Homestead Drive, for a fence around a pool.
• Allowing the police chief to sign off on the Lebanon County Human Trafficking Task Force Agreement.
• Several park request for various summer events.