{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Community Members Step Up to Shape Public Spaces Across the Upper Delaware","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":725,"description":"Across the Upper Delaware region, residents are taking an active role in shaping the public spaces that define their communities — from a long-standing symbol overlooking Milford Borough to a playground in the heart of Honesdale.In Pike County, a grassroots effort is underway to restore the illuminated star on Milford Knob, a display that dates back nearly a century. And in neighboring Wayne County, community members are weighing in on what should replace the former playground in Honesdale’s Central Park.Liam Mayo, news editor for The River Reporter, says while the projects are distinct, they share a common thread: deep community investment.“What strikes me about both of these stories is the care that people are putting into their public spaces, and how that’s paired with the development of civic life,” Mayo said.A Star With a Long HistoryAccording to reporting by The River Reporter, commemorative displays have appeared on Milford Knob since the Civil War. The illuminated star itself dates back to the 1930s and was maintained for decades by the Milford Lions Club.“They lit the star around Christmas, as well as a cross on the same frame around Easter, and it was also lit for certain nationally significant moments,” Mayo said.That changed in 2017, when the National Park Service — which owns the land — told the Lions Club the display could no longer be installed, citing concerns that it could be perceived as endorsing religion.Supporters of the effort to bring the star back argue the symbol is cultural, not religious.“According to some of the people behind this project, they don’t see the star as a religious symbol,” Mayo said. “It represents community and unity.”Among them is Milford Mayor Candace Mahalik, who co-chairs the Restore the Star committee.“She said the star was always there when she was a kid, and coming back to Milford, it symbolized that she had come home,” Mayo said.Another organizer, Fred Weber, moved to Milford after the display was removed.“He’s...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}