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Park it! Millions of dollars are being spent to study, improve or build recreational areas Sunday, October 21, 2001 By Crystal Ola
Put away your picnic baskets and put on your running shoes, because local parks aren't what they used to be.
Parks and recreation have become big business in Washington County. Since 1997, 34 municipalities and groups have applied for about $3.7 million in grant requests to the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Of those requests, the department's regional office has approved about $1.5 million in grants for studies and projects totaling about $5.6 million.
Although benches, pavilions and swing sets aren't extinct, parks have become more than picnic areas and playgrounds. From exercise trails and yoga classes to preschool and senior activities, many municipalities are aiming to provide recreational opportunities in the parks for all residents.
"It's a quality-of-life issue," said Andy Baechle, director of the Washington County Department of Parks and Recreation. "It's open space that's owned by everyone. As we become more urban as time goes on, our open space will become more valuable."
The first step in developing a successful park is "location, location, location," said William Servedio, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Connecticut. He teaches courses in the park and recreation management program.
Washington County's future Panhandle Trail park will meet location requirements in an unusual way -- it will connect nine communities in a 17.3-mile area. The Rails-to-Trails project is part of a 29-mile trail stretching from Colliers, W.Va., to Collier, Allegheny County. The Panhandle Trail will offer space for biking, hiking and horseback riding.
"We look at it as the park comes to you, instead of you having to get in your car and drive somewhere," Baechle said.
The county owns and operates three parks -- Cross Creek Park in Cross Creek and Hopewell near Avella, Mingo Creek Park in Nottingham and Ten Mile Creek Park in East Bethlehem near Fredericktown.
Ten Mile Creek is the county's smallest park, with 22 acres, but it provides boat access to the Monongahela River from Route 88.
Cross Creek Park has 3,500 acres, mostly used for fishing, hunting and hiking. The county plans to create a multipurpose trail around the lake as funding becomes available.
The 2,600 acres of Mingo Creek Park are the most actively used in the county. The park offers hiking and trout fishing, a 17-mile horse trail, a paved bike trail, 10 picnic pavilions, and a model-airplane field. The parks and recreation department hopes to expand the bike trail and receive matching funds from the county to use with a $160,000 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to install water lines.
The DCNR sponsored a study for the county's comprehensive recreation park and open space plan last year. The consulting firm Pashek Associates conducted a random written survey of 10 percent of county residents. According to the results, people most want walking, hiking and biking trails in parks.
"Recreation is different things to different people," Baechle said. "Our county parks are more natural and historically oriented; they're like miniature state parks."
The county's Department of Parks and Recreation budget for this year is $612,563 in operating costs alone. For development costs, the department turns to the DCNR and the state Department of Transportation for aid in funding. The county has received $443,000 in grants from the DCNR since 1997.
The local projects probably wouldn't be possible without the aid of the DCNR. The department administers several funding programs -- Keystone, Growing Greener, Pennsylvania Recreational Trail, and land and water conservation grants.
The DCNR can't honor every request. Sometimes municipalities are asked to scale back their projects or to phase them out "so we can spread the pot around, because if you think about it, $28 million doesn't go that far when you're dealing with it across the state," said Kathy Frankel, park and recreation advisor for the DCNR's Southwest Regional office in Pittsburgh.
Applicants are judged by a list of criteria, including needs and benefits of the community, planning, partnership opportunities, how the project fits into DCNR conservation priorities and site compatibility. DCNR examines issues such as the environment, noise and safety concerns, and space when judging an application.
Most grants require communities to contribute matching funds, which also can influence the grant process. South Strabane, for example, was awarded a $218,000 Keystone Recreation Grant this year for a park project because its matching funds were met with the land assessment of $410,000. Consol Energy donated the 73 acres near Floral Hill Drive and Zediker Station Road.
"We want to reward people for getting things donated to them and starting a new park site," Frankel said.
The grant will pay for the first phase of the project, which includes walking trails, a playground and volleyball courts. It will be the fifth and largest park in the township.
Supervisors hired Pashek Associates in August to prepare the master plan and feasibility study for the project. A survey of residents indicated people mostly want walking trails. Other popular suggestions were pavilions, a fitness area and playgrounds. Ball fields will be relocated from Zediker Station Road.
"I think we want to see it developed into something for all age groups," South Strabane Manager John Stickle said. "We're really excited about it. We think it's going to be a great asset to the community. We're glad we can reserve recreational space."
Parks have changed with time, Servedio said. Once areas filled with gardens and picnic areas, parks have become recreational spots.
"A lot of original parks were really very passive," Servedio said. "They weren't constructed for active play."
In the eastern part of the country, the trend is moving toward parks for skateboards and inline skaters and rails-to-trails projects, Servedio said. Yet while many people enjoy the physical activity a park can offer, successful parks usually offer more, including fine arts and educational programs, senior centers and preschool activities.
Besides location, the size of the park and the needs of residents are also important considerations, Servedio said. Parks need to offer broad-based activities.
"Every single segment of the population across the board should be represented," he said.
Last year, Peters allocated about 9 percent of its $9.7 million budget to its park and recreation budget. The township operates two community parks, four neighborhood parks, Arrowhead Trail and a tennis center complex.
"You want to offer as many activities as possible," said Eddie Figas, township parks and recreation director. "You try to get activities that cover the gamut from senior citizens down to children. That's one of the things about the department we're proud of, that we offer a wide variety of activities."
Residents have their choice of the quiet open space of Peters Lake Park or sports activities in Peterswood and neighborhood parks or more involved activities, such as camps and concerts in the summer or classes during the year. The community room in the municipal complex offers diverse indoor activities, such as classes in yoga, crafts, senior aerobics, introductory music for children and dog training.
The township strives to accommodate its residents. Classes often are started at the request of citizens, Figas said. Recreational opportunities are still expanding in the township. Peters Township received a $69,000 grant this year to widen Arrowhead Trail, which stretches 3.5 miles east to west through the center of the township. The jogging and bike trail will be widened two feet to accommodate inline skaters.
The township is surveying residents this fall to determine whether they want an outdoor pool and indoor recreation center. If the township decides to move forward with the multimillion dollar project, building will begin in 2003, Figas said.
Parks should be accessible, offer opportunities from sports to play areas, help preserve the environment and improve the quality of life for residents, Servedio said.
"Today, for individuals who are looking for a sense of community and quality of life, I think park and recreation plays a big role," he said.
Parks are often the only opportunity for people to see "concrete results" and get enjoyment from their tax dollars, Servedio said.
Chartiers has ambitious plans for its future municipal park near Chartiers-Houston High School, connecting the Allison and Moninger neighborhoods.
"You're going to have an important linkage between two communities," township Manager Tom Hartswick said.
The township was able to complete the first phase of the municipal park project this year with a $150,000 Keystone Grant. The first phase included grading and excavation work, constructing an entrance off Silver Maples Drive, establishing a wetlands walk observatory, and building a playground.
Phases will be completed as the township receives funding. Among other things, the master plan for the park maps out everything from ball fields to exercise trails and possibly a senior and community center.
Supervisors authorized Hartswick and township engineer Doug Patterson Oct. 2 to apply for a $50,795 Keystone Grant, half of the cost for the second phase of the township park. The second phase will include a slide, pavilion and roadway extension.
North Strabane is adhering to a master plan for recreation developed in the mid-'90s. Projects are implemented when money is available, township Manager Frank Siffrinn said.
The township received a $100,000 matching DCNR grant this year. The money will be used for three projects in the municipal park -- the erection of a large pavilion; two sports courts with fencing, parking and benches; and the paving of an incline for walking, jogging, biking and inline skating.
"We're looking at this site here as the future of recreation in the township," Siffrinn said. "One-quarter [of the land], at best, is developed, so there's a lot of potential for development for the park itself."
Most municipal managers and experts on parks and state funding seem to agree with Baechle that parks and recreation are quality-of-life issues.
"Recreation means recreating the spirit," Baechle said. "We try to provide places where people can come and recreate the spirit."
Crystal Ola is a free-lance writer.
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