Bethlehem unveils "40 in 10" parks plan and names three Phase 1 anchor parks

Mayor Reynolds unveiled Bethlehem’s "40 in 10" parks initiative to a council committee, outlining a plan to upgrade 40 parks over the next decade and announcing three parks selected for immediate work: Bernie Fritz in the Northeast, Madison Park on the South Side and Clearview Park on the West Side. "We are cutting the ribbon on Friendship Park," the mayor said, adding the city would use a mix of grant funding and one-time general-fund transfers to accelerate delivery.

The presentation, led by parks staff Kathy and Corey, described a year-long, community-driven process (steering committee meetings, three virtual public meetings, 15 pop-ups and a widely distributed survey) that produced a typology of regional, anchor and community parks and prioritized goals including accessibility, active recreation, programming, climate resiliency and maintenance. "We are looking to do 40 parks in the next 10 years," Corey said, explaining the plan groups the city into four sub-networks…