The Salisbury Township Recreation Advisory Committee met Sept. 17 in the municipal building for its bimonthly meeting.

Recreation Director Genny Baillie, Chair Mark Wilson, Vice Chair Patrick Jacoby, Secretary Kimberly Ringhoffer and members Francis J. McCullough and Frank Adamcik were in attendance.

The committee reviewed Community Day which was held in conjunction with National Night Out Aug. 7.

Despite the stormy weather, Ringhoffer and the committee felt the event was successful with great support and a large number of volunteers. There was a good attendance with activities moved inside the Salisbury Middle School. The inflatables were only used when it wasn’t raining. The basket raffle and bingo went well.

The committee said they would like to do the event again next year with the following changes: the event should be longer than two hours, it should not be held on a weeknight and it should be held closer to the end of the playground program. They felt the location of Salisbury Middle School was good.

The committee thanked Ringhoffer for her work. Ringhoffer said she would be willing to coordinate the event next year.

Baillie reported on the playground program and said it was a succcess. She said Green Acres and Devonshire parks’ attendance was up this year because Lindberg Park could not be used due to construction. There were no days where the program was cancelled due to rain.

Baillie talked about movie night at the park program; there were 20 in attendance at Laubach Park and 40 at Green Acres Park. Baillie would like to show the movie on two consecutive Wednesday nights next year if the licensing permits. She would also like to start the movie at 7:30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. and then the program would be over by 9 p.m.

There was a discussion on some parents who were not honest on the registration forms – the program is for students entering first grade through age 12. There were some students who were known to be older than 12 who were registered for the program.

“I feel badly for the 13, 14 and 15 year olds,” Baillie said. “There is no progam for them. This is an elementary school program and it is not a good mix with the older and younger kids.”

Park Day was held at Devonshire Park.

In other business, Baillie has been instructed to look into pricing for the replacement of the play structure at Devonshire Park. The equipment was installed in 1994.

Baillie said she is suggesting to resurface the blacktop at Devonshire Park.

Baillie said the proposed budget includes the replacement play structure, player benches at Dodson Park and a third bike rack at Green Acres Park (for eight bicycles).

In a Lindberg Park Master Plan update, Baillie said construction started three weeks ago and the orange safety fencing is up. The construction crews have started toward the back parking lot.

“We could have kept the park open for the kids this summer,” McCullough said to the committee.

“We were doing as instructed,” Baillie said.

The Laubach Park/Franko Farm Park Master Plan has been put on hold. The first item on that agenda will be the hydrology study.

The committee met on the east side of the township for the parks tour. The committee took pictures and noted items needing repair or attention.

At Laubach Park, the committee said there is some cleanup needed and the tables in the pavilion need replacing and additional tables are needed.

At Franko Farm Park, the committee said the gazebo looks deteriorated and there is rotten wood on the floor. There is green moss on some of the benches. They believe power washing will fix the benches. There was a hazard with items outside of the shed instead of inside. Lastly, the committee noted flooding in the parking lot.

At River Road Park, it was noted mulch is needed and the merry-go-round is deteriorating. The outer boards are splitting and rotting.

At Dodson Park, safety fencing and benches are needed.

On Sept. 13, McCullough went through the parks on the west side of the township.

Lindberg Park was not reviewed because of the construction. At Green Acres, mulch is needed. The upper basketball court has a crack from one end to the other which is approximately three inches wide. McCullough said there is a lot of activity in the bathrooms which are in need of an overhaul. The bottom of the doors are rotting and the doors need paint.

At Devonshire Park, paint is needed in the bathrooms and the bathroom doors stick. Mulch is needed under the swings.

At Louise Lane Park which borders the former Hope Church property, now owned by St. Thomas More, there is a dead tree and a tree in need of trimming. It needs to be determined if the trees are on the former Hope Church property or on the Louise Lane Park property.

The next meeting is scheduled 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 in the township municipal builidng.