STROUD TOWNSHIP, PA

Parks and Recreation

Stroud Township Parks and Recreation Board
     The Stroud Township Board of Supervisors is committed to improving the quality of life of residents by increasing open space, parks and recreational opportunities. Some properties have been acquired or are being acquired for recreational uses such as walking trails, ballfields, playgrounds, fishing spots and picnic areas.  For example, the Glenbrook Golf Course was purchased, mainly to preserve the open space surrounding it and the McMichael's Creek corridor.   The Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission received a state grant to explore possibilities for passive recreational uses of the township's property surrounding the golf course. 

     The Stroud Township Parks and Recreation Board was formed as an advisory board to the Stroud Township Board of Supervisors to determine and make recommendations for the recreational needs of Stroud Township residents. Monthly meetings are held to discuss progress on park plans and other park and recreation concerns. Meetings are held 7:00 PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month (except December) at the Stroud Township Municipal Center.  Occasionally, field trips to parks or potential park sites are held prior to, or in lieu of regular meetings. Residents interested in attending meetings should call the Township office at 570-421-3362, and ask for Ed Cramer, to confirm meeting time and place.

       Current appointed Board members are: Glenn Bisbing, Jr., Mark Brown, Mary DeQuevedo, Paula Gordon (Secretary), Ann Horvath , Robert Hosko  (Vice Chair),  and Ruth Piancone (Chair).   

     Associate Members are: Gary Eiber, Ray Williams (School Board Liasons), Bob Sutton, Daryl Eppley, Jim Decker, Ed Cramer (Township Supervisors), Tim Herd (Director of Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission), and Niki Tourscher (Activity Director of Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission).

     Stroud Township Park and Recreation hosts free concerts and a community dance in the summer. Please check our calendar page for details..

Stroud Township Parks
    As of May 1st, 2008, the Stroud Region and Open Space Commission started handling Stroud's Township's pavilion and field reservations. (SROSRC, 15 Day St., East Stroudsburg, PA 18301).  You will need to provide proof of township residency along with your fee and application.  The Park Reservation forms are available through them.  Call 570-426-1512.

   Park facilities can be used for free on a first-come, first-served basis, and need not complete a Park Reservation Form nor pay a fee.  However, users without a reservation form will not be guaranteed that the facility is available, and have to leave the field or pavilion if a person with a reservation arrives.  Parks are open during daylight hours. No camping is permitted.

Jay Albertson Park, named after retired Township Supervisor Jay Albertson, is the cornerstone of Stroud Township recreation facilities. This park, locally known as "the duck pond" provides a lovely setting for the Stroud Township Municipal Building.   Both of these Township public facilities are located at 1211 North Fifth Street. Parking is available in the parking lots, but not on the streets. The park has playground equipment. The property across the street from the pond on Wallace St. is part of the park and has a gazebo for our Concert in the Park series.

Park visitors are asked to NOT feed the ducks and geese, as this encourages more to stay there than the pond can support. Besides fouling the water qality, it is detrimental to the bird's health, and their droppings are tracked all over the grass and playground equipment. These are unsanitary conditions for children to play in.  A goose produces approx. 1 lb. of droppings per day. 

Pinebrook Park located off Rt. 191 near Pinebrook Bible Camp, is nestled along Brodhead Creek. It recently has been leased to the township and is an ideal spot for walking, picnics, fishing, nature watching and possibly tubing. Officially open to the public since the opening day of trout season in 2000, Pinebrook Park is being used by fisherman and residents for picnics. Two entrances, known as the north entrance and the south entrance, are off of Rt. 191 and lead into parking areas for visitors. Walking trails have been cut through the wooded areas. The northern end trails join into the southern end trails by a bridge built over a creek between the sections. There are picnic sites with tables and grills for public enjoyment. Thanks to Eagle Scout Justin McHugh for the fine work he did in making and installing two 8 foor picnic tables and three trail signs at Pinebrook Park. Also, thanks to Home Depot for contributing 50% of the cost for materials and Ron Tinney for his router/carving work on the signs. Justin was also given the task of naming the two trails and has named them Brodhead Creek Trail and Honey Locust Trail.

Big Pines Park was the first step in expanding the park and recreation facilities in Stroud Township. Big Pines is part of a long-term goal of establishing small neighborhood parks throughout the Township. Big Pines Park is located near the Stroudsburg Middle School off of Cranberry Road, at Brown Road.  A secondary entrance is located at Big Pines Lane and Brown Rd. Big Pines is a twentyfive acre park with a soccer/baseball field, parking area and a picnic pavillion with grills, and port-a-potties. Plans for the future include scenic walking trails a rest room, an equipment storage building, and a paved recreational path. The grand opening was held in August 2001. The Township is appreciative of the efforts of Steve Kiernan, who, as part of qualifying for his Eagle Scout badge, began work on the trail, built a bridge across a stream and developed a picnic area in the area of the Big Pines Lane entrance.  Reservation forms for field and pavilion are available at www.srosrc.org.

Brodhead Creek Park is on Rte. 191 north of the Big Wheel Rollerskating Rink.  A 34 acre property that older locals may remember as the Titus Swimming Beach. It is part of a proposed greenway and trails system. This property is important for preserving water quality, and creating new recreational opportunities. A pristine stretch of the Brodhead Creek runs through it, which is perfect for observing nature and for fishing. There is a small pond for children under 12 to fish in, and a future access point is planned for handicapped individuals. There are trails and picnic areas with tables and grills, and two pavilions.  Reservation forms for and rules for pavilion use are available through www.srosrc.org.

Creekview Park is located off Ave. C.  Work was done in 2006 to stabilize the banks along the creek that were severely eroded during torrential rains and flooding.   A baseball complex is being developed through a partnership with Little League.  On August 31, 2006, ground was broken for the long awaited Stroudsburg Little League ballfields. Construction is complete for 2 of the four ballfields and the playground is now erected.   The ESSA Foundation, Hughes Foundation and Cherry Lane Foundation have contributed to this project but the Little League is still in need of contributions for finishing this project. If any group or individual is interested they can send their contributions to the Stroudsburg Little League, PO Box 61, Stroudsburg, PA 18360. In addition to this project, Stroud Township has restored the bank along the Brodhead Creek and will be doing riparian buffer and trail work as part of the Stroud Region Open Space & Recreation Commission Levee Loop trail system.

Katz Park - Located at Wedgewood Lake & Heritage Drive, Katz Park contains 7.2 acres including a pond and a walking trail. There is a potential for additional trails and a picnic area. Stroud Township is appreciative of the work of Billy Conover, who, as part of his work towards an Eagle Scout Badge, cleared brush, and built a picnic table and benches.

Knights Park - recently acquired small park adjacent to the Pocono Creek and the Knights of Columbus building.  It is not yet ready for use. An existing deteriorated pavilion will be replaced.  An  adult size softball field and parking lot have been put in.    When funds become available to put in a fence and backstop, it will completed.  To get to Knight's Park while going north on Rte. 611, make a left at Rosemont Avenue (where the Beaver House was, and where the new Walgreens will be located). At the end of Rosemont, make a left onto Park Street.  Look for a driveway on your right half way down the block.

Kovarick Lands - Consisting of approximately 13 acres, and located off of Glenview Ave. and Paula and Michael Drives, this beautiful property features undeveloped woodlands with the potential for walking trails, picnic tables, fishing and possibly a tot lot when funding becomes available.

Michael Moore Park - Playground equipment is installed for this  neighborhood "pocket park" of approximately 1/2 acre on White Birch St. off Stokes Ave.    Neighbors participated as an advisory board in choosing the equipment, which includes two swings, a satellite climber, two diggers, two spring rockers and a ball chute game.

Hickory Valley Park - Picnic table, walking path, stream fishing (with license if over age 16)

Yetter Park - A free public disc golf park is now open, and is located off Stokes Ave. along the Brodhead Creek  in the vicinity behind the block of the M&S Country Store. The Levee Loop Trail runs through it with walking trails and serves as part of a greenway connecting to East Stroudsburg.   

Appalachian Trail - Many residents are unaware that there are 2 township locations to access the Appalachian Trail, which borders the southern end of Stroud Township. One location is Fox Gap, at Tott’s Gap Rd. The other is on Rte. 191 South, below Stroudsburg.  Free parking is available.

New Park Directory Available Online - Download a concise directory of all Stroud Region Parks at http://www.srosrc.org/parks.htm

Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission
   A regional commission was formed by Stroud Township, Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg, Stroudsburg Area School District and East Stroudsburg School District to work on implementing the objectives of the Open Space Plan. The Commission is composed of representatives of each the afore-mentioned entities. S amantha Holbert is the Board Chairperson.  Tim Herd is the Director, and  Niki Tourscher is the Program Coordinator.  Stroud Township representatives on this Commission are: Samantha Holbert and Linda Wiles. Elizabeth Wright is an  Alternate Member.

   Their first recreation project was taking on the 30+ years old Stroud Township summer day camp in 2004 and opening up an East Stroudsburg location. Their first park related project is the Levee Loop Trail system . The Regional Commission has recently made up park facility maps for our township, as well as for Stroudsburg Borough and East Stroudsburg Borough.  For more information on the Commission and it's projects, visit www.srosrc.org Maps of each of the municipalities showing the locations of the parks are available for printing.

SROSRC Summer Programming

See www.srosrc.org for complete descriptions and registration information or call 426-1512.

The popular Stroud Kids Summer Day Camp operates at Dansbury Park, Morey Elementary School, and Stroudsburg High School for children 6-14 from late June  through mid August.  The full program is augmented by additional opportunities for Before & After Camp programs with instruction in tennis, basketball and disc golf. A series of Enrichment Camps offers week-long adventures of fun, hands-on, educational activities in special interests of sports, nature, musical theater, outings, aquatics, and craft arts.

Stroud Region Connections is the Commission’s biannual publication bringing all news and information of open space, parks, and recreation activities for all who live or work in the Stroud Region. Copies are available at the Township Building and at the Day Street Community Center.

Regional Parks Master Plan Completed
A Regional Parks Master Site Plan prepared for Terra Greens Golf Course and Glen Brook Golf Club is complete and available for public review at the Commission’s website, www.srosrc.org/openspace.htm as a downloadable .pdf file, or as a printed copy at the Day Street Community Center.

The Master Plan was contracted by the Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission to explore the potential to improve and expand recreation facilities at the two existing municipal golf courses and the potential linkages to public lands surrounding them. Glen Brook Golf Club, owned by Stroud Township, is located just south of Route 209N and Interstate 80.

Stroud Region Community Center
   Monroe County United Way has granted $2,500 toward the establishment of the Day Street Community Center Youth Activities Program. They will provide an additional $2,500 if the Friends of Stroud Region can raise the same amount from other sources. The money will be used to purchase Wii bowling and tennis video games, a Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) system, and basketball, foosball, and ping pong games. These will provide exercise while players build teamwork and sportsmanship skills through competition and tournaments. The addition of a transverse climbing wall system in the gym will round out a purposeful Youth Activities Program.

    To contribute toward this project, please send your tax-deductible donation to Friends of Stroud Region, 15 Day Street, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. Call SROSRC Director Tim Herd for more details at 570-426-1512.

Levee Loop
     Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission   is working on developing a  trail that is the pilot project for  the Brodhead Greenway.  The Levee Loop will interconnect municipal parks with an estimated 10 miles of trails. The project consists of a 3 mile stretch of the Brodhead Creek that runs through the densely populated areas of the boroughs and the Township. E-mail questions about the trail or Regional Commission to herd@srosrc.org,  or visit http://www.srosrc.org/ for more information. A trailhead and overlook at Dansbury Park is currently under construction and includes an access road, parking area, stairway, benches, bike racks, scenic overlook, and ADA-compliant ramps to the top of the levee and the Levee Loop Trail.  A “bump-out” trailhead will develop a wider segment of the ten-foot-high levee with the accommodations of concrete steps and paved ramps to the top, a gazebo, benches, water fountain, bike racks, and parking area. The trailhead is partially funded by a grant from the Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.

Regional Open Space Comprehensive Plan
     In late February 2002 the Stroud Area Regional Open Space and Recreation Plan was adopted by Stroud Township, East Stroudsburg and Stroudsburg Boroughs.  An open space regional committee representing the three municipalities met monthly for the last two and one half years to work on this plan for the future.  The public was involved through a random sample survey, key person interviews and public input meetings. 

      The plan establishes where we are now in respect to open space lands, parks and recreational needs, where we want to be and how do we get there. Goals were established pertaining to open space and greenways, agricultural conservation, facilities, transportation, programs and special events, funding and administration, community awareness and involvement and intergovernmental cooperation. Strategies of action were developed in order to implement the goals. A map was created of the regional park and open space system showing facilities. resources, proposed greenway corridors and open space lands to be protected. Lands can be permanently protected by acquisition or conservation easement.

    One of the strategies most highly prioritized was the establishment of a regional commission to oversee parks, greenways, open space areas and/or recreational programming. An important strategy, which is being implemented, is the development of a greenway plan for the Brodhead, McMichael and Pocono Creeks within the Stroud region.   Focus groups meetings, a survey of owners along the stream corridors, and key person interviews were conducted for public input. A draft of the plan is under review by the study committee established to prepare the plan.

      After its formation in April of 2003, the Stroud Region Open Space and Recreation Commission hired Executive Director, Tim Herd, to begin the implementation of the regional open space and greenway plans.  The Commission's office is located iat 15 Day Street on East Stroudsburg, PA in a Community Center building.

E-mail questions or comments regarding Stroud Township's Parks and Recreation  to stroud17@ptd.net

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Last updated April 7, 2011