Though our community is small, the love for our park is pretty big. And because of this, Stahl Park has grown through the years, due to numerous volunteers, local businesses, organizations, and Keystone Fund grants.
Launchpad for an Olympic Career
When I was young, the velodrome opened my eyes to the sport of track cycling. After a few years of the free community programs, which are still offered to this day, I realized my talents and passion for the sport. This facility has served as the launchpad for my Olympic career and my post-Olympic life. I owe much of what I accomplished around the world to the velodrome in Trexlertown.
A Jewel Among Philadelphia Parks
During the summer we run several community programs in the park. Saturdays during the summer we offer free community fishing days for anyone who wishes to attend. Community fishing days include free bait and use of rods and instruction from dedicated park staff and volunteers. Free movie nights are also run during the summer. This year our turnout for the movie Aladdin was well over 200 people. The children enjoyed chalking pictures and messages on the park walkways prior to settling in for the movie.
Wild and Wonderful
I am a person who likes to go off trail, when possible. So when Pennypack on the Delaware opened, my brother and I immediately explored the gated area to the north. There we had to wade through tall grasses to access the riverside trail, and it was on that trail that I experienced my first double rainbow, my first sighting of eagles, and my first glimpse of the mouth of the Pennypack Creek. I especially like the mudflats and lilies at low tide. The trail was curious to me. It was well-worn. But who had been walking there?
Revitalizing the Riverfront
The Jersey Shore Borough Public River Access project has been a tremendous success for our community. It has given our residents, visitors to our community, and tourists the opportunity to access the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. We have received a great response from those who use it, such as kayakers, canoers, and fishermen. The overlook has also been a popular area with our residents who enjoy taking in the scenic view in the evenings. They describe it as being such a relaxing place to be.
A Birding Hotspot
The Lime Bluff Recreation Area is great place to go birding in Lycoming County. This 65-acre park near Hughesville has a great variety of habitat. One side of the park is a wooded area where all of our common woodpecker species are often seen. Another side is a brushy area with a wet ditch running beneath it. On the other side of the brush is a Christmas tree farm. The park has a small pond as well.
A Community Hub
We have often enjoyed Helling Stadium as the site for our Relay for Life event. Its location in the park, with easy access from Route 65, comfortable walking track, and ample parking, helps make our events success. The school district has been most cooperative with our requests and we always do our best to leave the facilities just a little cleaner than they were when we arrived. We even enjoyed the company of NHL pro hockey player Stephen Johns last year for an autograph session!
Interweaving Nature and History
Thanks to the Keystone Fund, this route is a beautiful destination for outdoor enthusiasts and boasts one of the most impressive rail-trails in Pennsylvania. The 165-mile trail cuts through 4,500 acres of river gorge parkland along the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers, weaving past stunning landscapes, historic towns, dramatic waterfalls, and the remnants of the Lehigh and Delaware canals.
Schuylkill Haven’s Only Remaining Recreational Space
The 21-acre Island Park, nestled between the Schuylkill River and the Reading and Blue Mountain Railroads, is Schuylkill Haven’s only remaining open recreational space. Before the flood, the area accommodated a few softball and soccer fields. The community had considered improvements to the park over the years. But the flood damage forced them to start from scratch.
Lifeline of the Local Economy
Although Columbia has always been technically on the map, the community is now a destination. Instead of stumbling upon it, visitors seek out its recreational opportunities. These visitors are not just spending their time in the borough–they’re spending their money.
Relic of the Ice Age
Long Swamp, a relic of the last ice age, is now a permanently protected haven that provides a unique outdoor experience for children from all around the world. 15,000 years ago Pennsylvania was covered in glaciers. As the climate warmed and the glaciers receded, massive melting formed a boreal bog. Over time this bog became […]
Bustling with Activity
With a grant from the Keystone Fund and support from the local community, the Authority renovated the pool, adding water slides, a diving board, a fountain where children can play, and separate pools for babies and toddlers.
Exciting and Uniting Residents
Once an unsightly and polluted lot in an economically depressed neighborhood, John O. Green Memorial Park is now a lively public park and vital community resource. It is also the only park in the Borough of West Chester that offers a water play feature. When the weather gets warm, people from all over the borough gather at the park to keep their children cool.
Paradise Along the Schuylkill River
The sweeping meadows are planted with drought-resistant native species to manage stormwater. The greenway and its amenities, including a paved riverfront esplanade, seating areas, and interpretive signs detailing the history and ecology of the area, are ADA accessible.
From Junkyard to Park
When the canal system became obsolete in the late 1850s, the canal basin was deserted, and eventually a portion was drained and filled with cinders. Later it became a utility company’s junkyard, littered with creosote-soaked poles. Support from the Keystone Fund enabled officials, community members, and local organizations to join forces to restore the canal basin, reclaiming the historical asset and turning it into a popular park. The Hollidaysburg Women’s Club played an integral role in the project.
Swimming for Everyone
Come summer, there’s nothing to compare to the relief afforded by a dip in the water – be it a stream, a lake, or a swimming pool. Thanks to the Keystone Fund, improved beach and pool access for swimmers of all abilities is now possible in locations as diverse as the lakefront at Poe Valley and the swimming pool at Ryerson Station.
White Township Recreation Complex
Pleasing children, teenagers, adults, and seniors throughout the entire year in one location isn’t an easy feat. But White Township Recreation Complex in Indiana County has managed to do just that. The Keystone Fund has supported the township’s efforts to provide an array of facilities in the park.
Access to the Monongahela
Rice’s Landing Borough is a community of 450 residents situated along the Monongahela River in northeastern Greene County. The Borough cultivated support for the construction of boat docks from a diverse contingent of citizens, elected officials, nonprofit groups, and local businesses.
Citizen-led Efforts
This project evolved into truly a community effort. Approximately 20 residents volunteered their time to construct the playground area, and township employees also contributed extensive labor. Bankson Engineers donated their professional services to design the space. Furthermore, the community raised approximately $5,000 in cash donations. With all of these in-kind, volunteer, professional services, and cash donations in place, the township was awarded a Keystone grant of $47,000 in 2002 and an additional $5,000 was amended to the contract in 2003. By 2004, the playground was completed.
Filling a Gap in the GAP
The Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) is a 150-mile trail between Pittsburgh PA and Cumberland MD, where it joins the 184-mile C & O Canal Towpath, extending the off-road experience all the way to Washington, DC. The trail provides a safe, clean and motor traffic free expedition through spectacular water gaps and historic tunnels and over breathtaking viaducts, taking full advantage of the railroad engineering expertise to find the easiest grade. It is bringing hope, pride and opportunity to economically depressed towns. New businesses are springing up in these “Trail Towns” catering to visitors and the local residents.