Three Pennsylvania Communities Try New Approach to Funding Local Park and Recreation Projects

HARRISBURG, Pa., Aug. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn today commended three Pennsylvania communities for their effort to raise funds for local park improvements by engaging supporters online.

"For most Pennsylvanians, local parks serve as their primary location for outdoor recreation, so it's a real priority of our statewide outdoor recreation plan to enhance close-to-home opportunities and provide innovative funding sources for local parks and recreation," Dunn said.

The Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation and Community Services in Lancaster County, Centre Region Parks and Recreation Authority in Centre County, and Richland Township Parks and Recreation in Bucks County, will take part in the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) Fund Your Park campaign.

Fund Your Park is an online platform coordinated by NRPA where communities can post exciting and innovative project for donors to fund. The three Pennsylvania projects are among 12 nationwide that will seek donations for a period of 30 days.

The Pennsylvania projects are:

• Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation and Community Services – A new playground at the Poplar Street Park, Elizabethtown, geared towards 2-to-5 year olds; fundraising goal is $5,000
• Centre Region Parks and Recreation Authority – Expansion of the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center, State College; fundraising goal is $25,000
• Richland Township Parks and Recreation – New signage on a 1-mile nature trail in Robert O. Keller Memorial Park; fundraising goal $2,000

"Local parks are healthful touchstones for their communities," said Tim Herd, CEO of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society. "It's there we connect nature and neighborhoods for our own personal, social, environmental and economic wellbeing. Investment in these community assets is always rewarding."

For information on how Fund Your Park works visit www.fundyourpark.org. For more information about how local parks and recreation helps strengthen communities, or to find your nearest park, visit www.goodforpa.com. To read the statewide outdoor recreation plan go to www.paoutdoorrecplan.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Christina Novak, 717.772.9101 or [email protected].

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Related Links

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us