Greenway Trail Leads to Saucon Park at mayor’s South Side Task Force

Special to the Bethlehem Press

Bethlehem Director of Planning and Zoning Darlene Heller shared news of the city’s progress on the South Bethlehem Greenway Trail connection at Saucon Park at the April 24 meeting of the Mayor’s South Side Task Force.

With Phase 4 now complete from the Lynn Avenue bridge through Traveler and Auburn streets, “We now have trail on everything that we actually own,” Heller said. She told the group the city still needs to purchase a dead-end right-of-way from Norfolk Southern Railway in order to link up with the Saucon Rail Trail.

With a map of the section, Heller demonstrated how Phase 5 of the project will connect the trail with the Saucon Park ball fields, giving pedestrians and neighborhood children improved access to them. Funding for this phase will come from a $500,000 Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant and matching funds the city.

Also at the meeting, Amy Burkhart, deputy director of the Department of Community and Economic Development, provided a positive progress report on the city’s rehabilitation of the Goodman Building. Having been successfully appointed conservator of the deteriorated property, the city of Bethlehem has chosen to award the project to C3. The city will go back to the Northampton County Court in May to seek approval of the developer’s plans for the property. According to Burkhart, funding for the work would be provided by the developer, which would then be reimbursed when the building is ultimately sold. C3 (Collaboration 3) is a partnership between D’Huy Engineering Inc., Alloy 5 Architecture and Skepton Construction.

Estefania Perdomo, from Community Action Development Corporation of Bethlehem, announced that Spring Planting Day, an event led by the Southside Arts District, is scheduled for May 13 at 10 a.m. She said they are seeking volunteers to assist with 78 planters that are to be distributed around the Southside.

She also announced a “Summer Learning Fair” for May 18 from 4- 7 p.m. at Marvine ES to showcase summer educational programs.

Adrienne Washington, assistant vice president Community and Regional Affairs Lehigh University, said they are seeking donations to sell at the upcoming “Great South Side Sale” which is scheduled for June 3 at 10 a.m.

Perdomo added that across from the community yard sale on June 3 is a “Home Maintenance Workshop” in Cantelmi Hardware’s parking lot from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Rosemary Hensel, legislative assistant Rep. Steve Samuelson, said their office has been busy assisting senior homeowners with around 100 property tax rebates a week.

A “Meet the Experts: Women in Steel” event was announced by Susan Vitez from the Steelworkers’ Archives for May 20 at the National Museum of Industrial History. She also mentioned that the organization will be offering tours of Bethlehem Steel and area churches again.

Chairman Roger Hudak expressed his growing excitement about the possible sale of the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem to MGM. Hudak said that if it goes through, it would open up partnership opportunities for the Southside that had been previously unattainable.

The Mayor’s South Side Task Force meets regularly on the last Tuesday of the month at Northampton Community College’s E. Third street campus.