Pocket park idea proposed

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, PA. ?EUR??,,????'??+ Spring Valley Park Advisory Board recently discussed the idea of individual pocket parks in the new 77-acre township park.

Rob Jack, a landscape architect for Olsen Engineering and Associates, and board members discussed the pod concept of individual pocket parks that would be linked via a trail system.

Olsen Engineering and Associates are developing a site analysis of the master plan phase, which will include four or five use areas. These individual use areas will be connected with hiking and biking trails. At this point it?EUR??,,????'???s thought that horse trails could be a conflict for paths that are only eight feet wide.

Spring Valley Park off Victory Road is being developed as the first community park in the township and is on a former brownfield previously owned by USX. At one point it was a contaminated industrial site, but has been reclaimed as a business park with six to 12 new tenants at the site.

In addition to wetlands, the pocket parks would feature a wildflower meadow, a cluster of trees more than 100 years old, including a 200-year-old bicentennial tree, a stream culvert, two wetland interpretive areas and a railroad observation area. Jack said the development needs to be sensitive to the wetlands and 100-year flood plain.

The toughest part will be accessing the parking areas. The park has some frontage through a couple of roads. But steep roads, hilly topography and a significant curve at the site make parking a challenge, said Jack.

Spring Valley Park has a great potential to become a multi-use facility. ?EUR??,,????'??It?EUR??,,????'???s got a playground area and overnight camp,?EUR??,,????'?? said Jack. ?EUR??,,????'??The park has an area for picnics, hiking and interpretive wetlands. An area exists with a wildflower meadow.?EUR??,,????'??

Other natural features such as these nearly-200-year-old white oaks will be retained as points of interest in the proposed park design at Spring Valley Park.
Photo courtesy of Rob Jack