WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Parks and recreation in Williamsport will be getting a makeover. City parks like Shaw and Lose will have a different look by the beginning of next year.
"When you look at neighborhood parks, this is really a quality of life. It improves quality of life, it improves public safety, and it is just a general improvement to the neighborhood," said Mayor Derek Slaughter (D), Williamsport.
Officials met Tuesday morning at Lose Park for a groundbreaking ceremony. This park will be getting $400,000 worth of upgrades. The project is being paid for through grants from the DCNR and Community Development Block Grants.
"We have a number of upgrades taking place there. New basketball court, ADA accessible equipment, a pavilion, new lightning, and new concrete work around the sidewalks," said Slaughter.
"For this park we have provided $145,000 out of the Keystone fund. We have a long history of funding we have provided to the city and region overall," said Wes Fahringer, Advisor for DCNR North Central Region.
On the other side of Williamsport, the city is working on improvements for Shaw Park. Crews are working on installing a splash pad.
"I think it is around a 3,200 square foot splash pad that is going in here at Shaw Park. It will have various features, it is all automated and it is going to be a lot of fun and it is going to be free for the community," said Slaughter.
The upgrades at Shaw Park may not stop there. Pending council approval, both the basketball and tennis courts may soon be redone. Upgrades at both parks will help out with summer recreation activities.
"There are different communities throughout the city of Williamsport. So, we are trying to make it accessible to all of them that don't have the opportunity or the availability to get to one location. It will all be right out their backdoor," said Kayla Drummon, Williamsport Recreation Coordinator.
The city tells Newswatch 16 that the upgrades at Lose Park and the splash pad at Shaw Park will be ready to go by summer of 2023.
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