The dream to transform Main Street Park into a state-of-the-art action sports facility is one step closer to a reality.

            In a continued regular session before its work session Monday evening, Quakertown Borough Council unanimously voted to accept an agreement with Free Fall Action Sports to develop the Quakertown Action Park, located between Main Street and South West End Boulevard, just beyond 9^th Street.

            According to the Quakertown Borough website, the current skate park was installed in 2003, but fell victim to vandalism and other criminal mischief. Several churches joined together in 2008 to provide support and the Main Street Park Committee was formed to develop longer term revitalization plans for the park.

            Those plans will begin with a multi-use building with public restrooms, a snack stand and meeting space. In addition to skate park expansion, trails and parking upgrades are included in the longer-term plan.

            Pastor Dave Kratz of East Swamp Church and Free Fall Action Sports thanked council and borough officials.

            "This has always been a dream and we always said it would take a miracle to pull off. The miracle is all the different people coming around the table to make it happen," Kratz said. "Thank you, guys, so much for believing in these young people and believing in the team that is out there. We look forward to great days ahead."

            In other business carried over from the July 11 meeting, council voted unanimously to submit an application for an $800,000 Multimodal Transportation Grant through the PA Department of Community and Economic Development. The DCED grant would be used for pedestrian crossing improvements at Park Avenue and South West End Boulevard.

            During the work session, council discussed possible truck restrictions along Ambler Street in the borough. A resolution to erect temporary signs indicating 4^th Street as the truck route will be presented for a vote during the August 1 meeting.

            Council also discussed a proposal to install Hometown Heroes banners along Mill Street between 4^th and 9^th and around the Park at 4^th.

            John Rivers Memorial VFW Post Commander Paul Gerhart addressed council on the Post's plans to institute the program in May, 2019.

            "We want to have the people in our community pay respect to their fellow veterans," Gerhart said.

            Council asked VFW representatives to meet with Borough Manager Scott McElree to plan out details, for program implementation, for further discussion during the August work session. Council asked for total installation costs, total number of banner spaces available and a method for selection of applications to be further explored before any approvals are given. Council President Donald Rosenberger asked that consideration also be given to what would happen if a banner is damaged over time.

            "I don't think there is any question about the concept," Rosenberger said. "Come back to us in August with a more definitive program."

            Gerhart requested that the first banner hung honor the memory of PFC John Rivers, USMC, who was killed in action in Guadalcanal on August 21, 1942.