A popular outdoor attraction for rafting and biking, a state-of-the-art medical facility, and eventually a new elementary center.

With such big-ticket projects either in the works or already completed, it's safe to say Lehighton is experiencing a rebirth of sorts.For starters, there's the Lehighton Outdoor Center - Home of Jim Thorpe River Adventures and Northeast PA Kayak School, which expects to be totally operational by the fall.Complete with a kayaking school, work remains underway at the over-11,000-square-foot facility at 123 Lehigh Drive along Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard.Once finished, it will have a small cafe, bike shop, kayak/paddling shop and of course everything around the kayak school and the rafting company activities.It will also feature a variety of adventure levels for adults, as well as kids and their families, such as biking, kayaking, a kayak school, and eventually cross-country ski rentals.The facility will employ about 120 people and remain open year-round.A few weeks ago, the St. Luke's Care Now in Lehighton opened at 575 S. Ninth St. off Route 443.Services include St. Luke's Orthopedic Care; St. Luke's Cardiology Associates; OB-GYN Care Associates of St. Luke's; St. Luke's Spine and Pain Associates; St. Luke's Lehighton Medical Associates; St. Luke's Care Now; occupational medicine; walk-in lab; and walk-in X-ray.The facility offers fast, convenient care for minor illnesses and injuries when your primary care doctor can't see you immediately.It provides fast, convenient care for acute illnesses, including the common cold, fever and flulike symptoms, sinus infections, bronchitis and other acute ailments.Patients will receive care for sprains, strains, broken bones, dislocations, cuts, minor burns and animal bites.Additionally, care for acute illnesses and injuries are provided faster, and at a lower cost than at an emergency room.Other advantages are that most prescriptions can be electronically submitted to the patient's pharmacy of choice for their convenience, common prescription medications and diagnostic testing are available on site, and occupational medicine services are available to local employers on site.Last, but certainly not least, is a new elementary center being built on the district's main campus.School district officials have approved $33 million for the construction of a K-5 elementary center located adjacent to Lehighton Area High School.The 162,000-square-foot building will take the place of the district's four current elementary schools: Franklin, Shull-David, East Penn and Mahoning.It will be set up with the K-2 primary classrooms on one end of the building, and the 3-5 elementary classrooms on the other side. Core areas will be centrally located.What these wide-scale projects suggest is that the borough has successfully positioned itself to serve as an epicenter for activity in the months and years ahead.