In September, I had the privilege of attending a Hopewell Township Borough meeting concerning possible additions to the Stewartstown Community Fairgrounds. My presence at the meeting was due to rumors of skatepark blueprints circulating the grapevine of our hallways for quite some time. My curiosity got the best of me, and I arrived at the meeting ready to engage in conversation. The assembly was held in the recreational facility on the fairgrounds, in a small basketball court with minimal lighting. Including myself, there were less than 20 people who showed up, but this is considered a surplus at these events. The hall was adjourned with easels showcasing diagrams of the land the park was on, along with the proposed plans for expansion. Two members of the Planning Commission Board stood at the front and started the meeting with a slideshow presentation. The contents of the slideshow detailed these improvements to the current park, and some of the highlights include:
- A bathroom facility
- Expansions to the batting cages
- Three new pavilions
- A skatepark
- A second basketball court
- A bike track
- Three more baseball/soccer fields
These improvements would require months of construction and funding from the government in the form of grants. A section of the park currently not in use would add eight acres of land to the current fairgrounds. After the presentation ended, the commissioners began to ask for community input. Much was said for the next hour and a half, but most of it boiled down to either criticism of the expansion (due to fear of excessive noise and traffic) or vocal support for the new facilities. After all was said and done, the commissioners stated that more meetings would be held to discuss these projects, and nothing was concrete.
It is the humble opinion of this reporter that these expansions would benefit the community greatly. As a teenager myself, new facilities for the teen demographic (such as a skatepark) would improve the quality of life in this town to an exponential degree. Currently, the park can be used by children, dogs, and members of local sports clubs. Not only would these additions add an unfound demographic to the fairgrounds, but they would also allow kids not interested in sports an outlet not found anywhere else in town. The Planning Commission Board meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m., with the next meeting scheduled for December 19, 2023. Those interested in these additions, I implore you to show up and voice your thoughts and concerns.