Middlesex Township’s new Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee is already proving its worth for the southern Butler County township.

The committee, formed in early October after being proposed over the summer, is intended to provide recommendations and develop plans for new updates to Middlesex Township Community Park, which is located behind the Middlesex municipal building at 133 Browns Hill Road.

The committee consists of five local residents and reports to the board of supervisors to provide recommendations and develop plans for new updates to the park. The group’s recommendations must ultimately be approved by the supervisors.

Years ago, a similar group met to discuss park-related projects, but that group had since dissolved.

It seems an appropriate time to recreate that organization, as the supervisors have expressed a desire to refocus their efforts on new park projects.

“As we look to grow our park, we need to get the input from the public,” township manager Adam Hartwig said in the Aug. 5 edition of the Butler Eagle. “It’s their park, and we want to know what they want in the park, so that’s what we’re hoping to accomplish with the committee.”

It’s important to have this group of five to provide input as the supervisors move forward on projects, such as the one reported in the Oct. 27 edition of the Eagle.

In the Wednesday article, Hartwig said that construction began last week on a 6-foot-wide paved asphalt trail loop. The trail is to be fully ADA accessible and will circle the Community Park.

Though rain may hold up construction this week, the township anticipates completing the project this fall. A ribbon-cutting is set for Nov. 20 and will run in conjunction with its Turkey Trot event, which the newly formed committee is helping to organize.

The committee has suggested people take nonperishable items to donate to the food bank in lieu of an admission fee and handled the logistical planning for the event.

We believe the committee will continue to be an asset to the Middlesex supervisors as they anticipate a number of future upgrades.

The township is looking to purchase a new pavilion for the park, which would hold at least 100 people. Hartwig hopes it could be ordered this winter and installed next year.

Additionally, the township supervisors hope to consider a new poured concrete restroom.

As the Middlesex supervisors look to improve parks and recreation in the area, we applaud them for leading with listening. The committee is a great start to that.

— TAL