Meeting after meeting, Jim Thorpe Mayor Michael Sofranko listens to what adults tell borough officials the kids want in terms of additional recreational opportunities. On Monday night, Sofranko went right to the source, inviting Jim Thorpe’s youth to give him their suggestions during a meeting in a Memorial Park pavilion.

“I think it went well,” Sofranko said after the session. “What I took away from it is that the kids want to be outside. Yeah, they want somewhere to go when it’s raining, but for the most part they want to be outside. And that impresses me because we hear so often about how kids just want to be on their phones and, while that is the case for some, it doesn’t speak for all of them.”

Kids threw rapid fire suggestions at Sofranko on Monday night including a bike park, splash pad, skate park, pool, rock wall, zip line and indoor arcade area among others.

Chris Van Dine attended the meeting with a group of kids from “The Heights” section of town and advocated for a bike park.

“There are some really cool BMX jump parks, one in Catty and another in Hellertown, and they are really world class,” Van Dine said. “These aren’t municipally designed parks. They evolved from a grassroots level.”

Jim Thorpe’s different recreational areas, such as Sam Miller Field and Kemmerer Park, were represented at Monday’s meeting. Trish Spillman, representing Sam Miller Field, said a bike park has been suggested for that area in the past.

“We don’t have the funds for it at this point, but if it comes to that, it’s something we would consider,” Spillman said.

The Acevedo family campaigned for a skate park in the borough. Skateboarding is currently illegal on public property per borough ordinance.

“We’ve been trying to get a place to get that established and get the supervision in place where it can happen,” Sofranko said. “In that past we’ve had a bad apple or two who ruined it for everyone and that’s why you can’t do it on public property right now.”

In terms of recreation, Jim Thorpe is in the midst of implementing a Master Site Plan at Memorial Park. Borough Manager Maureen Sterner said the municipality was awarded a grant for the first phase of the project, which includes installation of playground equipment for 2- to 5-year-old children and some sensory equipment.

“We’re in the process of beginning that with some surveying,” she said. “If we’re lucky we can start the construction this fall. If not, it will be next year.”

The borough has applied for grants for phase two, which includes playground equipment for 5- to 12-year-olds.

It isn’t just recreation that the youth of the community have on their mind.

Kairi Stashefski said she wants to see a safer walking path near the Carbon County parking lot.

“When I walk down from the bridge, the sidewalk cuts at the parking lot,” Stashefski said. “You have to go between the cars out on the road and I just think there should be a safer way.”

Sterner said a meeting is coming up in August involving the county and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad on that issue.