Baer Memorial Park in Lehighton will include a multipurpose field.

On a 6-1 vote Monday, borough council agreed to proceed with final design and to advertise the project upon completion. Supervisor Joe Flickinger voted against the measure.

After the meeting, Flickinger said he voted against the project for two reasons.

“I believe the matching funds could be better utilized on repairing our deteriorating roadways and infrastructure within the borough,” Flickinger said. “I also believe that the basketball courts should remain at the grove where it is more centrally located within walking distance for use of all our residents, instead of building courts with the emphasis of being utilized for basketball leagues.”

Before council’s vote, Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky said that Baer Memorial will be all-inclusive, in that it will be used for baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and boccie ball.

Baer Memorial will have two basketball courts, bleachers, a Little League baseball field, soccer field and football field. There will be ADA parking, and accessibility will be included in the project.

The soccer field will be located outside the infield for the baseball field.

The football field will be slightly in the infield on the outside line.

Meanwhile, the basketball courts at the Grove will remain.

Council’s decision comes one month after it heard pleas to keep the baseball diamond at Baer Memorial.

Last month, over a dozen supporters from the Franklin Township Little League attended the meeting to show their support for the ball diamond.

At that time, Council tabled a motion for a new sketch for the Baer Memorial project.

In February, council agreed to alter its plans for the project to include a soccer field in place of a multipurpose field.

The plan included removing the baseball diamond at Baer Memorial, while basketball courts and bleachers would be installed, and a walking trail constructed within the park. There would also be handicap accessibility and parking.

The basketball courts were slated to replace the one at the Grove and to provide an opportunity for summer leagues and camps, along with free court time for general use.

The borough was awarded a $200,000 grant from DCNR as part of the Community Conservation Partnership Program.

Borough secretary Brenda Kreitz said in January that the borough had spent $17,480 on Baer Memorial for engineering and design toward the project.

Borough Manager Nicole Beckett said at that time her concern is that the borough already has two executed Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant contracts that council approved last year for the Grove Master Site Plan & Recreation Center Feasibility Study, and Baer Memorial Park Improvements.