Open Space, Trails, & Parks: John Mack's Position

I will make the presevation and acquisition of open space a priority and work to improve our parks, trails, and recreation areas.

Open space - including our parks and trails - improves our quality of life, reduces stress on our resources and increases our home values.

I support quality of life issues.

As a member of my homeowners association executive board, I was instrumental in installing new playgrounds that are up-to-code in terms of safety and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. To do this, I started with a survey of homeowners and then assembled and managed a “Tot Lot Committee” of volunteer parents who decided what new equipment would be installed, reviewed the vendor bids, and made a recommendation to the HOA board regarding which vendor to work with.

As an elected Supervisor, I will work hard to implement similar improvements for Newtown and involve residents in the process.

In addition, I support Newtown's Comprehensive Trail Plan, which will strengthen the Newtown Township community by creating a safe network of pedestrian and bicycle facilities that connect local and regional resources and that encourages healthy lifestyles.

I have completed the Bike Bucks County 2017 survey of candidates for supervisor/mayor/council in the 8 municipalities along the Upper Bucks Rail Trail, Newtown Rail Trail, and the Doylestown-Neshaminy Greenway trails. I indicated strong support for completing the trail network in Bucks County as well as adding bike lanes to state roads within municipalities to make biking safer and easier.

Some of our parks have seen better days. Algae and geese poop, for example, contaminate Silver Lake Park where the Newtown Trail begins (or terminates, depending on your point of view). If elected, I will support efforts to find solutions for improving Silver Lake and other parks. 

Some suggestions for doing more to maximax and improve our open space and parks include:

• Reinstate the open space committee of volunteers which was disbanded years ago
• Seek out county and state funding and think outside the box to maximize our open space and improve our existing parks, without increasing property taxes
• Work with property owners to find creative solutions to preserve space