Orange Township officials to discuss parks plan

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LEWIS CENTER — There will be a special Orange Township Board of Trustees meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 3 in the township hall, 1680 E. Orange Road.

The meeting will go over the proposed 2022 Parks Master Plan.

“Hear from Silas Bowers, Orange Township’s Director of Operations, and representatives from the consultants on this project, Brandstetter Carroll, Inc. as we talk about the future of Orange Township’s parks and trails systems,” said a post on the Orange Township Facebook page. “Open to Orange Township residents to ask questions about what is to come for OT!”

The township’s website said of its parks system, “Parks not only enable and encourage people to exercise and enjoy nature but also help build healthy, stable communities. Orange Township boasts seven beautiful parks with trails and other outdoor amenities along with a top-notch outdoor Aquatic Center.”

In addition to the North Orange Aquatic Center, those parks are Glen Oak (which has a sledding hill and ice skating pond in the winter), North Orange, North Road, Orange Bridge, Ro, Township Hall and Walker Woods. All except North Orange (Delaware) have a Lewis Center address.

Recent improvements to township parks include safety surfacing and new playground components at Ro, new safety surfacing at Walker Woods, sealcoating to multiuse paths in and around North Orange, and mulch in front of the Aquatic Center.

The township also has a Veteran’s Memorial project in the works, about 18 miles of multiuse path, and a community garden at the intersection of Piatt Road and Red Oak Street at Evans Farm. A few of the latter plots are “dedicated to providing People In Need, Inc. of Delaware County with fresh produce,” said www.orangetwp.org.

As reported earlier, one recreation area, the fishing pond at the Township Hall Park, was “undergoing enhancements for fishing, water quality, and habitat improvements,” said a post on Facebook. With the pond being dewatered, wildlife in the pond was being trapped and relocated. The public turned out on July 8 to volunteer.

“We will be retrieving traps, seining, netting, etc.,” the township had said of the event. “Animals will be transported to a nearby pond complex. So far, we’ve trapped painted turtles, red-eared sliders, snapping turtles, bullfrogs, green frogs, water snakes, dragonflies, and tadpoles. As the water level lowers, we expect more fish.”

The township posted on July 11, “We are continuing with our Orange Township Hall Park Pond project! Thank you to MAD Scientist Associates, LLC for your partnership on this project and those who came out last Friday to help us rehome many frogs, tadpoles, painted turtles, and a variety of fish!”

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/07/web1_OTLOGO.jpg

Volunteers help relocate wildlife while the pond at the Orange Township Hall Park is being drained for cleanup and upgrades.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2022/07/web1_Pond-cleanup-Orange.jpgVolunteers help relocate wildlife while the pond at the Orange Township Hall Park is being drained for cleanup and upgrades. Courtesy photo | Orange Twp.

By Gary Budzak

[email protected]

Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0906 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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