Lebanon PA

seen recent expansions, including a bike park and mountain bike trail, a top-rated disc golf course, and the upcoming addition of a dog park. “We have a lot of great recreational options that we’re hoping can attract people here. The community’s recreation trails include the self-guided Heritage Trail, Historic Gems bike trail and our popular event, Tour de Lebanon Valley which promotes the beauty of Lebanon Valley through cycling. The proposed Liberty Park Trail project next to City Hall will further enhance green space downtown,” added the Mayor “We also have Stoever’s Dam Park, which has a nature barn, a lot of walking trails, fishing, camping, cross country skiing, and boating. We have a lot of great recreational options that we’re hoping can attract people here.” DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT The relocation of city offices to downtown Lebanon is hoped to spur further economic revitalization in the area.“We do know that there were some businesses that moved downtown because City Hall moved here. Not only did we move City Hall here, except for our public works operations, but everything else came too. Our fire leadership, our police department, and all of the police vehicles are here. People have felt an increase in that perception of public safety because they are seeing the police cars come and go,” she shares. To further inspire rejuvenation in the city core, facade improvement grants were facilitated in collaboration with the Downtown Lebanon organization. The city is also collaborating with a retail development and recruitment firm, Retail Strategies, as Capello relays, “We are looking to agree to come up with a strategy for the downtown. Unfortunately, we did lose a few businesses to COVID. And we’ve had a few that are struggling to either come back or to start a new venture. So, we feel like they need some help. Retail Strategies believes that they can help us by taking the next step to create an exciting destination for tourists and local visitors.” Part of this effort includes bringing more experiences Photo Credit: Emily Zebel with Wilder Mile Creative 5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 03 LEBANON, PA