Complete with new lighting, sidewalks and a refurbished amphitheater, Lehighton’s Upper Park underwent quite the transformation in 2019.

Originally closed in July for restoration work, borough officials in October unveiled the Upper Park renovations in time for the borough’s fourth annual Rocktoberfest.

Earlier this month, the Lehighton Downtown Christmas and Tree Lighting Ceremony were held in the borough’s downtown parks.

Presented by the Lehighton Downtown Initiative and the Lehighton Borough Parks and Recreation Board, 150 trees were decorated.

Borough manager Nicole Beckett previously said the total contract with Kobalt Construction Inc. came to $517,900. That doesn’t include the purchase of the lighting, along with all of the work that the borough’s Light and Power Department has done.

Along with the new lighting — including much more perimeter lighting — sidewalks have been installed, and the amphitheater has been refurbished and is ADA-accessible from the South Street side.

Beckett said 25 benches have been ordered based on funds from the borough’s Parks and Recreation Board, with installation from the borough.

In October, borough council opted to not add nine benches in the amount of $15,000 around the perimeter of the park due to budgetary restraints.

Beckett notified council members at that time that the borough didn’t have the funds for those benches.

Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky said the Parks and Recreation Board had raised $40,000 for benches through the capital campaign project to pay for about 25 benches.

In conjunction with the Upper Park project, the borough offered the painted benches that once graced the park back to those who sponsored them. Replacement pavers in the newly renovated amphitheater were made available to those interested in continuing the honor or memory that the benches represented.

On a 5-0 vote at a special meeting in June, council agreed to award a contract for the Upper Park renovation project in the amount of $468,500 to Kobalt Construction Inc., which was also the project coordinator for the borough’s refurbished downtown park.

The borough received funding in the amount of $350,000 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority for improvements to the park, which is used for concerts, movies and other community events.