Waynesboro's Memorial Park, trees to get makeovers

March 06, 2008|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. - A proposed makeover for Memorial Park in Waynesboro includes health evaluations for the trees that were planted along the main walkway to honor World War II veterans.

The assistance of Penn State University's forestry program will be sought, Borough Manager Lloyd Hamberger said.

"Let's take a hard look to see if we can trim them, top them, save them. I know we can only get a few years out of them, but let's do it," Councilman Ronnie Martin said.

Don McBride, president of the Memorial Park board, talked to the Waynesboro Borough Council on Wednesday about the future of the park.

The near future includes applying for Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant money that would extend and repave the walkway as well as bring the equipment up to safety and Americans with Disabilities Act standards, Hamberger said.

Efforts also might be made to separate the basketball and volleyball courts, McBride said.

Some of the maple trees planted as part of the April 1949 park dedication remain, he said.

"They've been cabled a couple of times, some of those trees," McBride said.

When the walkway is repaved, McBride said the board would like to ensure that the 32 veterans originally honored can be recognized again through trees.

"We'd like to see at least 32 trees. We do have the names of the people," he said.

McBride expressed concern that some of the trees' roots might require another crooked walkway to be installed.

Hamberger said that borough personnel has devised a way to make the popular green tractor safer through welding. Some of the safety and aesthetic concerns, however, come from ongoing vandalism.

"The slides and crawl tunnels are constantly being filled with graffiti," Hamberger said.

People crawl into the tunnels and burn holes in the plastic, Hamberger said. The best thing to do is to call the police when that behavior is spotted, he said.

The park is bounded by Memorial Park Drive, East Fifth Street and Walnut Street.

"It is one of the crown jewels of Waynesboro. It is definitely well used," Martin said.

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