A dazzling early autumn afternoon provided the perfect backdrop for Saturday’s grand opening of Coleman Memorial Park’s latest attraction, a bicycle playground built this summer by the Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association.

After Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello, flanked by SAMBA members, local organization representatives, and elected officials, cut a black ribbon, dozens of young riders took to the serpentine track’s jumps and banked turns.

Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello, flanked by volunteers and officials, cuts the ribbon. (LebTown)

The park suffered a setback last year when city council voted to demolish the deteriorating 80 year old municipal pool, but park trustee Bret Fisher was looking to the future on Saturday.

“The park has changed as times have changed,” he told the assembled crowd. “The pool is no longer, but we’re not going to look back, we’re going to look forward.”

Demolition of the mothballed pool, which is next to the new bike track, has not started.

(LebTown)

Fisher added that SAMBA and the park trustees are exploring a possible mountain bike trail around the park’s perimeter.

SAMBA’s president, Nick Loftus, and Community Health Council of Lebanon County Executive Director Nicole Maurer Gray stressed the benefits of getting young people outside and “away from screens.”

Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association (SAMBA) President Nick Loftus addresses the crowd. (LebTown)

Maurer Gray said that only 17% of county adults “get the required amount of exercise” and that “bikes can be a lifelong hobby.”

(LebTown)
Questions about this story? Suggestions for a future LebTown article? Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you.

Do you want to see more from LebTown?

Support local news. Cancel anytime.

Already a member? Login here

Free news isn’t cheap. If you value the journalism LebTown provides to the community, then help us make it sustainable by becoming a champion of local news. You can unlock additional coverage for the community by supporting our work with a one-time contribution, or joining as a monthly or annual member. You can cancel anytime.

Chris Coyle writes primarily on government, the courts, and business. He retired as an attorney at the end of 2018, after concentrating for nearly four decades on civil and criminal litigation and trials. A career highlight was successfully defending a retired Pennsylvania state trooper who was accused,...

Comments

LebTown membership required to comment.

Already a member? Login here

Leave a comment

Kindly keep your comments brief and respectful. We will remove comments that do not abide by these simple rules.