A few more tweaks and the "Dear Tamaqua ... In a New Light" project will take to the streets of the borough, weaving together the past, present and future, as seen by borough residents near and far. The event is being planned as a centerpiece to the borough's National Night Out celebration.

Project coordinator Leona Rega attended Tuesday night's meeting of Tamaqua Borough Council to provide an update and explain a tweak to the planned route for the 1-mile, multimedia walking experience.Initially, the route was to leave the Tamaqua Train Station, then head south on South Railroad Street to Cottage Avenue.Instead, participants will travel the first block of West Broad Street to Hunter Street, then turn onto Cottage Avenue. After traveling west on Cottage Avenue, the route will turn north onto Nescopec and continue to Broad Street, where a left turn will be taken.The Nescopec Street parking lot will be the site of an old-fashioned block party. Walkers will continue to head west on Broad to Swatara. Once they reach the St. John XXIII parish parking lot, revelers will find the NNO vendors and displays, which will include "A Taste of Tamaqua" this year. From there, the route will follow Hegarty Avenue and end at the Tamaqua Train Station.Along this 1-mile stretch, volunteers will bring to life the local sights and sounds as inspired by more than 500 letters from current and former Tamaqua residents. Jumbotron screens will be located at Broad and Hunter streets as well as at Swatara and Lafayette streets, and actors/portrayers will be found all along the route.Three local bands will be providing music along the way: Won Ton, Ricky and the Ricardos, and Ecosphere. The final segment of the walk will pass through a Tunnel of Reflections.Rega noted the National Night Out event will actually begin at 2 p.m. at the North Railroad Street parking lot, where the Tamaqua Salvation Army will host a Kidz Karnival.Tamaqua Mayor Chris Morrison has volunteered to "have something thrown at me at the carnival. I hope it's something soft."The walking tour will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Watchtower at the Broad Street railroad crossing. Groups of 25 people will leave the area every few minutes as Rega is planning to accommodate 800 to 1,000 participants."We had 800 people attend last year's National Night Out," she explained to council. Plans are also to allow volunteers enough break time so they too may experience the walking tour.Rega urged council and the public to attend this "once-in-a-lifetime experience.""It's going to be unique. You don't want to miss it, hear your friends talk about and then wish you had been there." She also hinted at an explosive grand finale, then sweetened her invitation by admitting the "Wenzel family will be baking some of their famous goodies."Council not only approved the street closing and traffic plans, but agreed to cancel their Aug. 4 meeting so everyone can attend the event.Council's next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the lower dam at the Owl Creek Reservoir.