HONESDALE, PA — Borough officials have announced that as of December 28, 2019, Gibbons Park is closed to the public until further notice due to a timber harvest project. The entrance road to Gibbons Park from Cliff Street will be closed as well as the hiking trail access from Riverside Drive and Watts Hill Road. The logger is expected to begin cutting timber shortly. Borough officials have requested that residents and visitors obey the “park closed” signs.

Gibbons Park is a popular recreational park because of its trails and scenic views. Its entrance road and hiking trail both lead to the peak of Irving Cliff—a common destination for hikers and tourists—and the location of the borough’s star-cross.

The project is expected to last at least two months and is weather dependent, according to officials. The loggers will be using heavy equipment and all areas of the park are affected. Through its forester, Paul Kowalczyk, borough officials entered into an agreement with Aaron Rutledge to harvest specific trees in Gibbons Park and to remove trees downed near hiking trails. Dead trees will be removed, as well as those affected by the emerald ash borer beetle—an invasive beetle that kills North American ash tree species.