Pennsylvania To Invest $90 Million To Improve Recreational Areas

Pennsylvania is known for its beautiful parks and recreation areas. The Commonwealth will spend $90 million to preserve and improve local communities and conserve natural resources.

PENNSYLVANIA STATE | On Sept.6, 2022, The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) announced over 330 new community projects. The projects will be paid for through $90 million in new grants administered by the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) and is the largest investment of its kind in Pennsylvania’s history. 

“The health and vitality of our communities is reflected in the quality of parks and trails, access to rivers, open spaces, and outdoor recreation opportunities,” DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn said at an event today at Clark Nature Preserve in Pequea, Lancaster County. “This grant round is historic, as it is the largest amount we ever issued to help protect and enhance our natural amenities throughout Pennsylvania.”

“Many of the projects being funded – improvements to local parks, trails, and river access – bring these amenities closer to home, requiring less driving and expense to experience,” Dunn said. “This $90 million investment will leverage more than $100 million in local, county, and private investments, giving every state dollar more power for the public good.”

According to DCNR, some of the larger projects include:

  • Rehabilitation and development of multi-purpose and basketball courts, inclusive play equipment, and walkways in Huidekoper Park, Meadville, Crawford County;
  • Construction of 1.5 miles of the Ghost Town Trail to help complete a 32-mile loop rail trail in Indiana and Cambria counties;
  • Acquisition of about 916 acres of the Camp Tuckahoe Boy Scout Camp in York and Cumberland counties;
  • Water access improvements in five locations in Allegheny, Cambria, Erie, and Fayette counties;
  • Development of 32 loop trails and 15 pickleball courts;
  • Support for the Friends of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in Philadelphia to implement a pilot project center on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in nature and outdoor recreation; and
  • About $300,000 will support Southern Alleghenies and North Central PA planning commissions for mini-grant programs targeting high-need rural areas.

Visit the DCNR website for a complete list of grants by county.