Young’s Woods Park in the City of Williamsport east end section along Railway Street is getting a much-needed makeover, as the Sun-Gazette has previously reported.

As part of this improvement project, City Council recently approved a resolution awarding landscape architect services for Young’s Woods Park in a professional services agreement to Hunt Engineers, Architects and Surveyors.

The city received three requests for proposals and settled on the least submitted by Hunt for $39,020. Hunt was the lowest responsible bid, according to Bill Scott, city engineer. Hunt has done prior work with the city on Elm and Newberry parks.

Young’s Woods is a 3 acre park project that will have a special emphasis on its all-inclusive amenities.

The design will give the park better

accessibility, make it safer and provide community enjoyment for people of all abilities, the council was told.

The amenities include construction of an inclusive playground, Americans with Disabilities’ compliant pavilion, pathways, two fenced-in pickleball courts, lighting landscaping and a new parking lot with accessibility parking and connections, a single- user precast restroom, trash receptacles, bike racks and a park entry kiosk.

This project is funded by grants through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, state Department of Community and Economic Development, and a grant from the All One Foundation.

Valerie Fessler, director of the city Department of Community and Economic Development and Planning, said the one grant is $403,200, and requires a 50 % match. So, she said, the city applied for a DCED Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program grant, of which the city received $80,000, and then the city applied to the All One Foundation for the balance, which is $320,290, which leaves zero dollar investment by the city.

Councilwoman Liz Miele asked Christopher Keiser of Hunt Engineers to consider putting in the design access for public drinking water.