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Resident pitches veteran-pollinator educational park on Hazleton Area SD campus
Summary
A Hazel Township resident proposed converting a one-and-a-half-acre retention-pond area on the school campus into a veteran-focused pollinator and educational park with an accessible 500-foot walkway; the board expressed interest and scheduled further cost discussions at a building project meeting.
A Hazel Township resident urged the Hazleton Area SD board to consider creating a veteran-oriented pollinator and educational park on a shaded one-and-a-half-acre retention-pond area near the campus, arguing the project would be inexpensive and provide accessible outdoor learning space for students.
Rich Wenches, who identified himself from Hazel Township, described the site as a former retention pond now largely dry and shaded and said local engineers and township planners had indicated the project could work. "It's only about an acre and a half... It's a place where children will plant flowers, plants, watch them grow," Wenches said, adding that the site could include a 500-foot accessible walkway and space for veteran memorial elements. He said he had discussed the idea with the township planning department and veteran organizations such as the American Legion and VFW, which he said supported the concept.
Board members responded positively and asked whether any action could be taken that night; trustees agreed to gather cost estimates and invited the resident to the district’s building project meeting scheduled for June 17 to continue planning and engineering discussion. Staff noted the fence and some topsoil are already in place on the site, potentially reducing costs.
What’s next: the resident and board members planned to continue cost and engineering discussions at the June 17 building project meeting; the board did not take formal action on the proposal during the meeting.
