Bethlehem announces park renovation plan

In an effort to reimagine its parks and recreation, the City of Bethlehem has launched a plan which promises to renovate 40 neighborhood parks in the area over the next decade.

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan, titled “40 in 10: Every Park in Ten Years,” is more than a makeover project. 

Laura Stedenfeld, principal of Omnes Studio, an Easton-based architecture firm partnering with Bethlehem, said the plan is a vision for creating community relationships and ensuring park accessibility and equity across the city’s four distinct neighborhoods. 

She also said the plan has potential to become a national model for park development by the community.

“This is a really exciting time for the City of Bethlehem and our parks,” said Mayor J. William Reynolds during the plan’s kickoff meeting on March 20. 

He said the city has made significant progress in recent years, but Bethlehem is now positioned to make widespread, systemic investments to transform recreational spaces.

Stedenfeld said the plan came about after an assessment of Bethlehem’s current park system was completed, which includes 43 parks, 12 miles of trails and 24 playgrounds — a network which she said exceeds national averages for parks per resident. 

However, city planners recognize quantity doesn’t always equate to quality. Corey Gray, a senior city planner for Bethlehem, said the project’s core philosophy is to create an accessible network of equitable, interconnected parks, trails and programming to serve all residents. 

He also said it’s important to stay in touch with community needs.

“You have to really listen to the community that you’re trying to serve,” Gray said.  

Stedenfeld said the firm’s planning process will take a comprehensive approach, and there are five key experience categories driving park improvements — nature-based experiences, play and exercise areas, aquatic facilities, sports and recreation spaces, and arts and community development zones.

“We’re not just improving parks,” she said. “We’re creating a constellation of parks that celebrates each neighborhood’s unique identity.”

This approach means adding improvements to each community’s specific needs, whether that’s creating fitness stations, planting gardens or developing more inclusive playgrounds, she said.

Stedenfeld also said the plan addresses significant imbalances occurring across neighborhoods. The analysis revealed some areas like West Bethlehem have relatively balanced park amenities, but others like Central Bethlehem lack sports facilities and recreational spaces.

Gray said the last time Bethlehem created a meaningful plan for parks and recreation was in 2017, which presented an inventory of what currently existed and the goals the city had for it. He said he believes the new plan will take these goals a step further by recommending improvements that will “re-wild” certain areas of the parks.

“That way, it’s less in maintenance costs but also really gearing us up for the effects of climate change,” Corey said.

Multiple surveys, public meetings and a dedicated website — We Build Bethlehem — will allow residents to participate in shaping the park system’s future. 

Reynolds said having the community invest in the plan now and in the future will strengthen its impact. 

“We want to lobby city council, secure funding and implement these projects as quickly as possible,” he said.

As the project moves forward, residents are encouraged to participate through community surveys, attend public events and provide feedback. The final master plan is expected to be completed by October, with execution beginning shortly after that.

“This isn’t just about creating pretty spaces,” Reynolds said. “It’s about building community, promoting health and creating environments where every resident can find joy, recreation and connection.”