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Politics & Government

Township Residents Weigh in on Planned Park

55-acre estate that belonged to Bethlehem's first mayor will soon be open to the public.

Bethlehem Township residents gave their opinions Thursday night on the proposed passive recreational park on the 55-acre Housenick estate. The consensus seemed to be: Use it, but don’t abuse it.

“It’s a sensitive riparian area that requires low impact,” township resident Nancy Keeler said, adding that heavy use of the hillsides and steep slopes could foster erosion.

Rory Ford, who lives on Santee Mill Road bordering the property, offered a warning.

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“I think it’s [a park] a good idea, but they just need to watch out for trespassing and hunting,” she said, adding that hunters are using the property and she is concerned about the use of firearms nearby.

The estate belonged to Archibald Johnston, the first mayor of the City of Bethlehem and a former president of Bethlehem Steel. His granddaughter, Janet Johnson Housenick, who died in 2005, left the property to the township. She requested that the land and 36 acres of township property be combined to create the Janet Johnson Housenick and William D. Housenick (her husband) Memorial Park, leaving a $2 million legacy for upkeep of the property.

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Former Township Commissioner Tim Brady, a friend of the Housenicks, was invited to live on the property about 30 years ago, he said. He has lived on the property about 25 years and was granted a lifetime rights by Janet Johnston, he said.

Landscape architect Evan Stone, who designed the master plan, said that the property would be open to the public once sanitation facilities are available, park rules and regulations are posted, and access to the property is approved, but no specific date was available.

Some of the park’s amenities could include hiking trails, camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. Fifty parking spaces are planned, Stone said.

Asked about the future of wildlife on the property, Stone had a quick response.

“Wildlife protection is of the utmost importance to us,” Stone said. “We are not going to do anything detrimental to the wildlife.”

Whether the Housenick mansion is razed, used for storage, or open to the public is under consideration, architect Kimberly LaBrake said. Repairs have been made to the 1920’s era residence, except for an old “elevette” addition which leaks and caused water damage, LaBrake said.

The three-story, 18-room house includes butler and servants’ quarters, mosaic-tiled bathrooms and powder rooms on several floors. If opened, meetings, small catered receptions, and artists’ rental similar to those at The Banana Factory could become a reality.

Stone expressed hope that residents who attended the meeting would get the word to friends and neighbors about the project and invite them to attend future meetings.

Volunteers are also welcome to participate in the project.

Correction: In the original version of this story, we identified Evan Stone as an engineer. Also, according to Stone, there is no intent to grow the number of parking spaces to 200, as we originally reported.

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