MINERSVILLE - The playground near the Minersville Community Pool that was recently shut down due to vandalism is planned to be reopened by the end of the month.
During the borough council meeting Tuesday, borough Manager Joseph Bass said the borough was contacted by the human resources department at Lowe's, who said they would like to renovate the playground and have it reopened by the end of the month.
The report of the vandalism that damaged a wooden bridge on a playground structure came June 25.
Borough police initially put up police tape around the structure that was then ripped down and police had to close the playground completely.
Called the "tot lot," the playground is only meant for children 12 years old and younger and is open from dawn to dusk.
Minersville police Chief Michael Combs said the repairs will be done through Lowe's Heroes volunteer program.
According to lowes.com, "Each year, Lowe's Heroes volunteer program helps to improve the communities where Lowe's employees work and live. Together, each store team identifies a community improvement project that will make a difference in their community, such as working with Habitat for Humanity or a local public school. While projects vary by location, Lowe's Heroes volunteers share a common goal to make their communities better places to live."
The program will also install ceilings, floors and an access ramp at the Pottsville Area Kitchen, 504 Mahantongo St., in October.
Bass said that the borough will be meeting with representatives from Lowe's on July 23 to review the plans.
"They are proposing to bring that back into compliance," Bass said. "They're also talking of doing some landscaping as well at no charge to the borough."
Borough police are still trying to identify some of the older children who vandalized the playground.
According to Combs, while they were able to identify some of the children by security camera footage, those identified were not the children who committed the crime.
"We're still looking for information on who the kids were that were vandalizing it," Combs said. "We're going to cite them and they're going to be charged."
In other business, Ian Palmer, president of the Minersville Area Historical Society, addressed council about a monument the society is planning to put in the borough in honor of Thomas Reed, the first settler in Minersville.
Although no designs have been made yet, Palmer said it would be something simple with Reed's name and the date 1783, when he settled in the area, while also saying it was placed by the historical society.
It is planned to be placed on the island on South Fourth Street.
The project is not expected to be completed this year and the society will approach council again once more information is known.
Minersville Trick or Treat Night was also set from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.