Midstate township plans new government building, park
(Swatara Township, Dauphin County) — A Dauphin County township is planning to move its offices to a new building in a couple of years.
Swatara Township Manager Jan LeBlanc says the current space – which is 47 years old – isn’t a good option.
She says police equipment has to be stored in random spaces, and there just isn’t enough room for everything.
“Down there we have an evidence room that is not ventilated and the evidence there is marijuana. Some days this place, down there at the police end, smells of marijuana on both floors,” says LeBlanc.
So LeBlanc says the township will move its operations to a building on a 59 acre property that was once a farm and a new park will be right next to the building. The property was known as Bishop Farm, and is located along Highland Street.
“I would like to think that when people start coming to the new municipal campus, they’re going to come here for reasons other than I’ve got a problem, or I need a permit. They’re going to come for some fun things,” she adds.
Swatara Township is asking people for ideas about the park.
A groundbreaking could happen by spring 2018.
LeBlanc says a combination of grants, existing funds, and a 30-year bond will help pay for the building, which doesn’t have an estimated cost yet.
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