Walker Township supervisors are preparing to send out a new bid for Wildcat Park, with hopes to use grant funds before the 2026 deadline.

Renovations for the park began in 2023 and are being supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. At $56,000 the grant covers just over half the price of the sole bid of $106,866.48.

“There is a limited time we need to use the grant funds by and I believe it is 2026,” said Ann Ostergaard, secretary for Walker Township.

DCNR grants typically have a grant agreement period. There’s a risk of losing funding if the period ends and the grant expires, according to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania website.

As the deadline quickly approaches, Walker Township will be reducing the scope of the project and a new bid will be accepted this season. The original bid for the project was sent out last summer and included plans to add new play equipment, a handicap accessible walkway and an ADA-mandated parking space. The new plans for the park have yet to be announced, and it’s not yet clear what will be cut from the project.

Other business:

• The bid for the Kettle Road project will be next month. The project has been on pause as the township awaited approval for grant funds.

• The National 9/11 Memorial Trail, a 1,500-mile route that connects the three Sept. 11 memorial sites, will be a new addition to the area connecting Pottsville with Jim Thorpe and traversing through numerous Carbon and Schuylkill county towns. People can attend a public workshop from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today at Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Morgan Center, 234 High St., Tamaqua, for more information.

A survey is open until June 30, to discuss plans for the trail once it opens to the public.