Palmerton residents fret field's fate

A Lancaster developer still thinks a ballfield in downtown Palmerton would be a good spot for a Rite Aid pharmacy, but a band of residents remains committed to defend it.

[PALMERTONisOLD]

SELL IT ALREADY ARE YOU NUTS! 1.95 MILLION ARE YOU NUTS!

[Save the LV]

While I know there are no shortages of Rite Aids, CVSs, and other drug stores in the Lehigh Valley, this deal doesn't seem too bad at all. Thankfully it's only a drug store the developer wants to build. It could be much worse (homes, apartment complex, Wal-Mart). Also, the face that the developer is willing to build a ball field and a basketball court on the remaining field is an added bonus.

[Palmerton Resident]

No dont sell it that field is for the kids and to build a bigger Rite-Aid are you freakin kidding me. The service at Rite Aid stinks they are rude and non caring I take my business to Shipmans. So if people want to shop a bigger Rite-Aid tell them to go to Walnutport or Lehighton, and leave our field alone!!!!!!!!!!

[OMG]

Rite Aid needs better customer service go to Walgreens!!!!!

[dumb people]

You must be a typical "city slicker", the reason I like living in a small town like Palmerton. Everything is money, everything is so "throw away society". That field was a gift from the founding company of the town to the residents to be used for recreation, and it should stay that way. Once you build on it, you will never get it back. Just look at other towns when you drive down their main streets, they are ugly compared to palmerton. OUr store fronts are attractive as well as the wide streets. Money isnt everything. Our school board sees this opportunity as a temporary band aid for all the problems they have created.

Save the LV wrote:

While I know there are no shortages of Rite Aids, CVSs, and other drug stores in the Lehigh Valley, this deal doesn't seem too bad at all. Thankfully it's only a drug store the developer wants to build. It could be much worse (homes, apartment complex, Wal-Mart). Also, the face that the developer is willing to build a ball field and a basketball court on the remaining field is an added bonus.

[lovemytown]

What surprised me at the board meeting was the approval of the VoTech budget. At 6.09 million dollars, Palmerton's share increases by $68,000. A February 26 article about the VoTech said that there are fewer than 300 students at the VoTech...That makes the cost of educating each student $20,300 (Carol Dwyer said do the math when asked how much it costs per student). Palmerton usually sends about 25-30 students from each grade 10-12, which would make our cost approximately 1 million dollars. The VoTech says they need to upgrade the 40 year old windows and install air conditioning. Let's see...Palmerton High was built in 1965, that would make the windows in the high school 43 years old and no air conditioning for classrooms. So, for students who are not expecting to go on to a four year college, we spend lots of money educating them at the VoTech; for students who want to go to LCCC instead of a four year college, we help to pay their bills. For the very best students in our high school, we do not offer a lot of advanced placement courses to help them get into the best colleges. I can't figure it out!

[PeoplesRepublic of Carbon]

dumb people wrote:

You must be a typical "city slicker", the reason I like living in a small town like Palmerton. Everything is money, everything is so "throw away society". That field was a gift from the founding company of the town to the residents to be used for recreation, and it should stay that way. SNIP
<quoted text>

The polluted soil and naked hillsides are a "gift" from the founding company also...

[Wondering]

PeoplesRepublic of Carbon wrote:

<quoted text>
The polluted soil and naked hillsides are a "gift" from the founding company also...

Here here. Did you see last night's Times News article about why RiteAid didn't bid on the property? It made it sound like somone leaked the proposal to the paper. Probably because Riteaid wants to do testing of the pollution at the field and the board didn't want anyone to find out. Do people know what is buried a few inches under that site? Old zinc track. Those kids may not have a field to play on once the testing is done! I wonder if that will affect the selling price!

[Player]

Save the LV wrote:

While I know there are no shortages of Rite Aids, CVSs, and other drug stores in the Lehigh Valley, this deal doesn't seem too bad at all. Thankfully it's only a drug store the developer wants to build. It could be much worse (homes, apartment complex, Wal-Mart). Also, the face that the developer is willing to build a ball field and a basketball court on the remaining field is an added bonus.

This is the best deal shitty Palmerton will see in a while! SELL SELL SELL The field is a piece of crap! Riteaid sure does a lot of buseiness they can use a bigger store!

[T Smith]

It is always a shame when a few people ruin things for the rest of the community. This is a good deal. Why would anyone try to keep this from our children. We can use new fields for soccer and more for other sports.

Heck, I don't want my kid playing on a polluted field.

[Too bad]

Sell it to the kid

[dumb people]

ummm right. remember a few years ago when they dug soil samples from everyone's property to test for lead/cadmium??? the field was tested and like the majority of properties, the soil was FINE. And to those who havent noticed, the mountainside etc is being revegetated. And by the way, would you rather have the jobs outsourced to china like everything else. It's your shallowminded thinking that makes me sick.

Wondering wrote:

<quoted text>
Here here. Did you see last night's Times News article about why RiteAid didn't bid on the property? It made it sound like somone leaked the proposal to the paper. Probably because Riteaid wants to do testing of the pollution at the field and the board didn't want anyone to find out. Do people know what is buried a few inches under that site? Old zinc track. Those kids may not have a field to play on once the testing is done! I wonder if that will affect the selling price!

[Something fishy]

dumb people wrote:

ummm right. remember a few years ago when they dug soil samples from everyone's property to test for lead/cadmium??? the field was tested and like the majority of properties, the soil was FINE. And to those who havent noticed, the mountainside etc is being revegetated. And by the way, would you rather have the jobs outsourced to china like everything else. It's your shallowminded thinking that makes me sick.
<quoted text>

Strange that it would be fine when they had to rope off the area underneath the bleachers two years ago because the soild washed out and it had to be cleaned up. The whole town is polluted and always will be. Nothing ever changes here.

[Mouthful]

T Smith wrote:

It is always a shame when a few people ruin things for the rest of the community. This is a good deal. Why would anyone try to keep this from our children. We can use new fields for soccer and more for other sports.
Heck, I don't want my kid playing on a polluted field.

Nothin like a mouthful of some good nutritious lead and zinc while aiming for a touchdown!

[WTF]

dumb people wrote:

....And to those who havent noticed, the mountainside etc is being revegetated....
<quoted text>

Yes, lets fix an industrial polluted landscape with human waste sludge. I hope you don't drink the water from the watershed that the mountainside drains into.

[kidding me]

As a resident in Palmerton, I had my soil tested and what a joke. Tell me how the property aside of me and the property across the street from me was contaminated (fertilized and replanted with grass) and mine was not. Was there a bubble over my home?

[it dont matter]

Palmerton Resident wrote:

No dont sell it that field is for the kids and to build a bigger Rite-Aid are you freakin kidding me. The service at Rite Aid stinks they are rude and non caring I take my business to Shipmans. So if people want to shop a bigger Rite-Aid tell them to go to Walnutport or Lehighton, and leave our field alone!!!!!!!!!!

Stop your crabing, the deal was good! The kids would go from 1 field to 4 -5 fields, and some outbuilding would have been included!!
you guys opposed this deal why? I hope they build a low income housing there and they infect your way of life as you know it...... Crabs

[Not around here]

OMG wrote:

Rite Aid needs better customer service go to Walgreens!!!!!

Can't go to Walgreen's, there aren't any in the area.

[Live In Palmerton]

I grew up in Lehighton & live in Palmerton for over 12 years now, very close to the field. Money does not make people happy! Growing up in Lehighton, sports were everything. Moving to Palmerton, all that changed. Then the Booster Club became very popular. This year Palmerton had one of their best High School Football teams ever! I went to the Palmerton homecoming game, there was not an empty seat anywhere! The fans were so excited, they came out to cheer these young men on! I felt like I was back in Lehighton at a game, it was GREAT! These fine young men made this town proud! Where did most of them learn to play the game??? At the 7th street field with the Booster Club! That's where! I say put a question on the primary ballot as to wheather or not the field should be sold & let the residents decide! In conclusion, if Rite Aid would stop selling clothing, dishes & other nonsense, maybe they would have the room that the pharmacy needs & stop trying to be a mini Wal-Mart!

[Are you for real]

Live In Palmerton wrote:

This year Palmerton had one of their best High School Football teams ever! I went to the Palmerton homecoming game, there was not an empty seat anywhere! The fans were so excited, they came out to cheer these young men on! I felt like I was back in Lehighton at a game, it was GREAT! These fine young men made this town proud! Where did most of them learn to play the game??? At the 7th street field with the Booster Club!

They have a winning team now because of a good coach and the Peterson kid not because of a "certain" field. BTW you'd have to chalk up all those years they were losing football to the 7th Street Field too!! DUHHH