A proposed multiuse park in Bowmanstown has hit a snag.

On a narrow 4-3 margin, borough council on Tuesday rejected adopting a resolution for the Bowmanstown Area Residents Connected park.

Council members Darren Thomas, Candace Rodrigues, Rob Sikorsky, and council President Pam Leiby were opposed. Council members Rob Moyer, Kara Scott, and Norman Engle Jr. were in favor.

The resolution was to give authorization to BARC to proceed with applying for a grant. As a result of council’s decision, BARC is unable to apply for the grant for the park.

Before the vote, council members stated their case either against or in support of the proposed park along Railroad Street near the post office.

Moyer said that while there were some long-term concerns about the maintenance of the park, he thought council should move forward and adopt the resolution.

However, Leiby said she had quite a few residents approach her “who were not in favor of this park.”

Moyer then noted there would not be any cost to the borough other than maintenance.

Leiby explained “I just have a lot of questions about what we are going to harbor down there.”

Engle Jr. said he was in favor of it, citing that senior citizens and young kids would utilize the park.

Thomas questioned space, parking, and maintenance for the park.

Scott noted that a survey was conducted, and added it’s still an open field, and that BARC would help with the maintenance of it.

“This is an opportunity for us to give the residents something to do,” Scott said.

Leiby said she wasn’t opposed to a walking path, but wasn’t in favor of the park as most recently presented.

At its workshop last month, borough council a 5-0 vote granted authorization to pursue further avenues for funding. Leiby and Rodrigues were absent.

Earlier last month, Jayson Woods, landscape architect with Woodland Design Associates Inc., met with borough council to discuss the proposed park.

Woods, who was hired by Bowmanstown Area Residents Connected through a grant from Pennsylvania Recreation & Park Society, said that the park would be complete with a walking trail, pavilion, composting restroom, and parking as expressed through a public survey.

Woods said that of the over 900 residents in the borough, they had over 100 participants.

Many were from the borough, as well as a few from surrounding areas and are primarily in the 45-and-over age bracket.

Those who responded said they wanted a walking trail, park lighting, restrooms and pavilions with picnic tables.

He said he wanted to present a plan to council that was “ultra agreeable,” and would keep the space neat, open and clean.

Woods then suggested that they look to do the parking area and trail first.

Moyer asked if there would be annual maintenance costs associated with the project.

Woods said there shouldn’t be much, and added that a lot of it could likely be done by BARC.

At times throughout that meeting, council expressed some concerns about stormwater, snow removal and financials.

Woods said that since the project is under one acre, stormwater requirements, if any, would be minimal.

Engle Jr. supported using funds for recreation.

BARC received a Recreation and Parks Technical Assistance Program grant for up to $2,500 to be used for a park.