Lehighton has agreed to forge ahead with a master site development plan and recreation center feasibility study for its community grove.

On a 5-2 vote, borough council on Monday agreed to move forward with the plan. Council members Joe Flickinger and Helen Torok were opposed.Resident Ed Conarty questioned the feasibility study and what the purpose was of spending that money.Borough Manager Nicole Beckett said the study is to prepare a master site development plan for the Grove, and that it was through a grant.The borough was previously awarded a grant for $40,000 from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources as a Community Conservation Partnership Program.It will be used to have a study done on how to improve the Grove, and to see if an additional recreation center would be built in the lower field near the existing recreation center.However, the borough is also responsible for coming up with a $40,000 match.Beckett said the master site plan will analyze the facilities, activities, maintenance and operations, as well as lead to the completion of site development drawings for the redevelopment of the Grove.Last month, council on a 5-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, approved DCNR's grant contract for rehabilitation and further development of the park.That action came after council in February, on a 6-1 vote with Flickinger opposed, approved a proposal for park improvements for design, permitting and construction from Barry Isett & Associates Inc.As part of the improvements, the baseball diamond at Baer Memorial will be removed, while basketball courts and bleachers will be installed nearby, and a multipurpose field and walking trail constructed within the park. There will also be handicap accessibility and parking.The total cost of the project is $400,000. The borough was awarded a $200,000 grant from DCNR as part of the Community Conservation Partnership Program.In June, council on a 6-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, agreed to submit a Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program grant of $244,826 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to be used for improvements to the park.In March 2016, council on a 6-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, agreed to begin the procedure for a feasibility/engineering study to build a new gym at the grove.Currently the Lehighton Recreation Community Center serves borough youth.The new gym would either be in addition to the recreation center, or located either below the existing building, or added on to the existing building.