EVANS CITY — The borough will be spruced up this summer with several upgrades approved by borough council.

A new public speaker system, flower boxes, and a flagpole will be added downtown.

Lee Dyer, council president, said the public address system based at the fire hall on North Jackson Street, will be replaced at a cost of $8,000 to $10,000.

Dyer said the aging system has been repaired a number of times and a new one is needed.

It is used during Oktoberfest, for parades, and plays holiday music for shoppers.

A remote microphone is included that can be used for announcements at locations downtown.

Dyer said the microphone is used a great deal during Oktoberfest, when the raffle results, items featured at various booths, and other events are announced during the celebration.

The speakers are mounted on poles, Dyer said.

Another project the council members hope to do this summer is to upgrade and beautify Main Street’s pedestrian area.

Dyer said public works employees will remove the bricks between the sidewalk and the edge of the curb and replace them with a textured concrete surface.

“It is meant to make the downtown area more attractive,” Dyer said.

Large flower boxes with banner holders will be placed in the areas where trees were cut down a few years ago. Dyer said businesses along Main Street will be encouraged to plant spring flowers in the boxes, and banners with seasonal or holiday themes will be displayed in the boxes.

“It’s an effort to get (Main Street businesses) involved in the beautification of downtown,” Dyer said.

One or two new flagpoles will be added at the public library on South Jackson Street, Dyer said.

An exterior American flag is in the library, but council members say they will add up to two more. Dyer explained that one will display the state flag, while the other will display a county or Evans City flag.

He hopes the project can be done by the Fourth of July.

“As it stands now, there are two flags on one pole,” Dyer said of the state and American flags. “We have to replace them frequently. If we put another (pole) up, we won’t have to do that so often.”

Council members have been discussing downtown upgrades for more than a year.