Next year’s Schuylkill Haven Halloween parade may be a different day and route than this year’s parade.
At council’s meeting Oct. 18, mention was made about the Halloween parade this year being scheduled on Oct. 25 — the same night as Orwigsburg’s parade. Orwigsburg officials weren’t happy about the conflict but said it was unavoidable due to sports scheduling conflicts.
Efforts will be made to hold the parade on different nights.
Additionally, the parade route has been a topic of discussion with this year’s route the same as last year’s, along roads like Avenue A, Union Street, St. John Street and Parkway. Some say the parade belongs back on Main Street and past the businesses, a route used previously.
The parade was moved to the current route due to PennDOT permitting and the borough’s bridge construction project.
Councilman John Williams said it is his and the recreation board’s goal to get the parade back on Main Street next year.
Williams said the recreation board meetings are being moved from monthly to quarterly to best accommodate everyone’s schedules, but urgent meetings can still be called at any time.
In other recreation news, the board reported the flag football season went well along with the Haven girls youth softball program.
Officials said the Schuylkill River will soon be stocked with trout again and plans are being discussed for a possible catfish rodeo tournament at Stoyer’s Dam.
Williams said the board also is reviewing changes in rental agreements and exploring a concession stand cleanup fee.
In other business:
• Council approved allocating $21,667 in funds leftover from the 2020 state community development block grant to the local food pantry.
• As part of the Hometown Heroes program, banners are being hung around poles in town to recognize and memorialize any borough resident who served or is serving in the military. Anyone looking to get a banner should e-mail shhometownheroes@gmail.com for program information.
• Mayor Michael Devlin said the recent borough pumpkin patch on the Island was a huge success and he thanked Bill’s Produce for donating the pumpkins.
Councilwoman Diane Roeder agreed with Devlin about the event’s success, but said she is worried about the lack of volunteers.
“We didn’t have enough help,” Roeder said. “We could have used more bodies.”
Councilman Kurt Montz suggested talking with schools to see if students could get community hours by working at such events.
• The meeting started and ended with a brief tribute to the late Bill Kline, former recreation program director. Kline came to the recreation program as a part timer in 1985, then went full-time in 1997 until 2017.
Before the meeting started, council President Jerry Bowman asked for a moment of prayer in Kline’s memory. At the end of the meeting, Bowman said he attended Kline’s funeral and found it very heartening that many young adults showed up to share stories of how the recreation department helped them over the years.
Source: Berkshire mont
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