Community events are planned in Hawley, including free evening movies in Bingham Park

Movies in Bingham Park, National Night Out and a community-wide yard sale are three of the special events this summer for everyone to enjoy in Hawley Borough.

Scott Mead, the borough's public works supervisor as well as the Hawley fire chief, is coordinating the second season for Movies in the Park. He said at the July 10 council meeting that they are held on the last Saturday of the month, beginning at dusk. The first one was held July 5 (rescheduled from June 29). The series runs through December, when they are planning two movies around the time of Hawley Winterfest.

He said they had a good turnout last month, with 35 people. Popcorn is provided, and all is free. The next movie is scheduled for July 27. He said they are showing family-friendly films. The public is reminded to bring a lawn chair or a blanket on which to sit.

Movies in the Park is hosted by both Hawley Parks & Recreation Commission and Downtown Hawley Partnership (DHP). The schedule is listed at hawley-borough.org .

National Night Out

National Night Out is hosted by Hawley Borough Police on Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. Chief Daniel Drake said there again will be a community barbecue. The nationwide event is meant to support local police and the idea of the community being involved in preventing crime and keeping neighborhoods safe.

Hawley's National Night Out, held in Bingham Park, began over 20 years ago with a small event in front of Borough Hall. It has grown to include much of the park, with the free barbecue, games, music and many different nonprofit organizations hosting booths or displays. A public safety message is stressed.

Some of the highlights in recent years include a dunk tank and a tug-of-war between teams of Hawley firefighters and Hawley police.

Borough-wide yard sale

The first community-wide yard sale, hosted jointly by the borough and DHP, is planned Saturday, Aug. 31, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Elaine Herzog, council vice president as well as DHP president, said that a map may be provided to show where the homes are that are having yard sales.

For that day only, the borough yard sale fee will be waived, but residents need to register on the borough website.

Apartment project trees

The land development plan for the planned apartment complex behind the Hawley Village Apartments building at the end of Barker Street is still pending. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) requires the developer to plant approximately 920 trees to make up for removal of 2.1 acres of trees, to avoid disturbing a narrow stream on the property. The borough was approached in February by a project consultant, asking if the trees may be planted in the floodplain in Riverside Park.

Concerns have been expressed by borough officials about planting so many trees in the floodplain, where roots could undermine the earthen flood levee. The borough is sworn by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect the levee.

Asked for an update, Council President Ann Monaghan said that DEP gave preliminary approval for the developer to have the trees to re-forest a protected area at the head of the Dyberry Creek, which is still within the Lackawaxen River watershed but is outside Hawley.

The conditional use request for the new apartment complex was approved Jan. 10 . The developers are planning to construct two buildings that will be two and a half stories high, not to exceed the 35-foot height limit required by the zoning ordinance. Each building will be 150 feet long and 72 feet wide and have a gable roof. One is to have 22 apartments and the other 24. Parking for 80 vehicles is planned.

Other Hawley business

Marie Ribeiro was appointed to the Hawley Planning Commission.

Hawley Police, in June, logged the following: assaults, one; disorderly conduct incidents, five; harassment incidents, one; thefts, two; warrants served, one; arrests, one; traffic citations, seven; traffic warnings, five; motor vehicle accidents, one; and one assist each to other law enforcement agencies, the fire department and ambulance company. Officers were on duty 394 hours in the borough, averaging 13.1 hours a day, and 46 hours in Palmyra Township (Wayne County).

Hawley Borough council meets on the second Wednesday at 7 p.m., at Borough Hall, 94 Main Ave.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Community events are planned in Hawley, including free evening movies in Bingham Park