Improvements are on the agenda for both Veterans Square and Callahan Park in Bradford, and the two projects are moving forward.

Office of Economic and Community Development Executive Director Shane Oschman explained the projects are at different stages in the timeline, but both are advancing at the expected pace.

Callahan Park is currently in the engineering phase for Phase 1, according to Oschman. There are two other phases, at minimum, that will be planned once Phase 1 is complete. Timelines for those phases and any others are not known at this time.

Phase 1 is expected to include improvements to the gateway entrance that leads to the Bradford Area High School parking lot, as well as new sidewalks that are compliant with standards and regulations. The basketball courts and tennis/pickleball courts will be resurfaced, and there will be new playground equipment installed for youth ages 5 to 12-years-old to enjoy.

“A timeline for this is not yet determined. Nor is a cost,” Oschman said.

Oschman explained that funding has been received for this phase from the following sources:

— A CDBG 2020 and a CDBG 2021 allocation

— DCNR

— Greenways and Trails

Meanwhile, the Veterans Square project is currently out to bid, with bids to be opened at the City Council meeting this evening.

“We are expecting to award (the contract) at the March 22 Council meeting,” Oschman said.

The work at Veteran’s Square is funded by CDBG, he said.

Veteran’s Square improvements will include stamped concrete along the outer edges of the Square and stamped concrete around the gazebo and war memorials.

Other changes for the square include changes for the long-standing structure.

“There will also be a new gazebo. It will remain a Victorian style. It will, however, be larger,” Oschman said. “The Blaisdell Foundation made a generous contribution to help the gazebo be as grand as we could make it.”