The Special Kids Zone in Butler County provides a playground for children with special needs, a group that has been underserved for years. The playground was planned by a committee of professionals who work with children with special needs daily. Families and organizations now come from throughout the county and region to use this facility.
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The recreational trail is one of the major developments identified in the multi-municipal comprehensive plan that was adopted in 2002 by Foxburg, St. Petersburg, and Richland Townships. The project will not only provide recreation opportunities for local citizens, but also for travelers to the region. Because the trail follows the former railroad right-of-ways, it offers a flat, scenic walking or biking experience for users of all ages.
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What was once an abandoned rail bed and illegal dumping site for half a century is now the Greater Hazleton Rail Trail, a hub of activity for families, dedicated bikers and hikers, school groups, nature enthusiasts, and anyone intent on maintaining a healthy living. Four miles of the trail are complete and another 12.4 miles are planned. When completed, the trail will the 165-mile D&L Trail, which offers visitors an opportunity to experience the region’s heritage.
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Williamsport’s Five Park Master Plan is an excellent example of a master site plan that meets a variety of criteria. During the planning process, outreach efforts included neighborhood input and participation of a variety of key partners in each neighborhood. This project illustrates the importance of working with neighborhoods to meet the needs and address the concerns of the people who live near a facility.
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The Scottdale Public Library has become a community hub and has filled a real need for the residents of the borough and surrounding communities. A common comment heard is “the library is a warm and welcoming place and represents the efforts of so many individuals and groups, a true example of money well spent!”
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Built in 1895, the Allegheny Observatory is one of the major astronomical research institutions of the world. The observatory’s exterior was in need of repair; pieces of the terra cotta surface were breaking off, there was cracking and erosion of mortar joints, and water infiltrated through the deteriorated parapet, damaging the terra cotta pieces. The Observatory restoration is part of the ongoing renewal of the Pittsburgh’s Riverview Park.
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The Roxbury Bandshell is one of just a handful of remaining bandshells built throughout the Country by the Works Progress Administration. The use of Keystone funds to restore the roof of this building that had been proposed for demolition sparked a renewed interest in the bandshell. It now hosts a variety of events, including local theatre productions and weekly summer concerts.
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Since 1789, Philosophical Hall has been the American Philosophical Society’s home, hosting meetings of members including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John J. Audubon, Charles Darwin, Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, Albert Einstein, and Robert Frost. Over the years the APS has gathered a museum collection that traces American history and science from the founding fathers to the computer age, including a draft copy of the Declaration of Independence hand-written by Thomas Jefferson and the original journals of Lewis and Clark. Keystone funding repaired the Philosophical Hall’s roof, ensuring the long-term preservation of the museum’s important collections and maintaining the building’s form and integrity as part of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia.
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The Pearl S. Buck House is a rare National Historic Listing which tells the story of a woman’s past and ongoing contribution to society. The home of Pearl S Buck was at risk of closing its doors because of safety issues, structural deficits, limited access, significant water infiltration, and general disrepair after 3 decades of public use. Thanks to the Keystone Fund, which enabled the leverage of private and public funding, the historic dwelling was restored.
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The Yuengling Mansion, once the Yuengling family home, now serves over 20,000 people a year. It hosts jazz festivals, outdoor concerts, gallery shows, civil war re-enactments, renaissance fairs, Celebrate Schuylkill Festivals and theater performances. Keystone funds were used to strengthen underlying structural support and finishes of the building’s character-defining front entrance and porch area.
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Because of Keystone funds, the 1902 Pomeroy Academia Covered Bridge, the longest remaining covered bridge in Pennsylvania, continues to be a cherished landmark. The timber frame structure, stone piers, abutments and wingwalls of the bridge were rehabilitated utilizing Keystone funding along with the addition of a small park. The bridge is now open to all pedestrians.
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The Erie Playhouse, the third-oldest community theater in the nation and one of the busiest community theaters in Pennsylvania, has existed for nearly 100 seasons. With Keystone grants through the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the playhouse restored the marquee, façade, and outer lobby.
ReadThe 1850 Coal Oil Johnny House was the home of John Washington Steele, the owner of one of the most productive oil farms during the oil region’s first boom. The restoration of the house’s interior and construction of additional exhibit space, supported by Keystone Funding, gives visitors the opportunity to understand life and the rapid transitions made during the first oil boom.
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The Minersville Pool has been an important piece of the Minersville community since 1952, but the continuous repairs became to costly for the community and it was shut down. A group of citizens from Minersville and surrounding communities banded together to save this community gem. With a Keystone grant, they rebuilt the pool, which eliminated the safety and ADA issues that existed with the old facility. In its inaugural season, the new Minersville Community Pool broke attendance records.
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In an area with limited protected open space, Dead Man’s Hollow Wildlife Preserve is 400 acres of peace and quiet. Once immersed in the wooded stream valley, the nearby factories, strip malls, and traffic seem to be a world away. The work done on the preserve, including constructing two-and-half miles of trails and clearing out twenty tons of old tires and trash, was accomplished with the help of U.S. Steel workers and local supporters.
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New Hope is a small community population-wise and area-wise. Because New Hope does not have much landmass, every small parcel of green counts. Keystone funding has been used to create what the borough calls pocket parks, two just along the Delaware River, and one that straddles the railroad track.
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Lancaster County Conservancy’s creation of the Tucquan Glen Nature Preserve protects some of the county’s rapidly diminishing open space. Described as the premier natural area in Lancaster County, it includes a rhododendron and hemlock canopied trail following Tucquan Creek, a creek so clear it’s been designated as a wild and scenic Pennsylvania River. During the summer, nearby city residents flee to the creek’s cool waters. Each spring, Tucquan becomes a classroom for every sixth-grader in the Marticville School District, and for some students, it is their first opportunity to experience a true natural setting.
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In East Vincent Township, 36.5 acres in the French Creek Watershed were purchased for a township park and natural open space area. It is a part of a 154-acre property that had been purchased by a local developer and the township was able to work with the developer, a local land trust, and citizen groups to preserve a portion of this property, achieve a site plan for environmentally sensitive growth, and protect greenway corridors.
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When 203 acres of farmland next door was sold to a developer, Mary and Josh, were devastated but not surprised, considering the number of farms sold off in recent years. The couple rallied the community behind them and as a result, the developer decided to sell the property, and Mary and Josh purchased it. Through a mix of programs the couple was able to conserve their neighbor’s farm, their own farm, and an adjacent 244-acre woodland, which is now part of the Game Commission’s public hunting grounds.
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There aren’t many places that attract senior citizens, dog walkers, skateboarders, and children simultaneously. Pine Hill Regional Recreation Area is an exception. In May 2002, DCNR provided $55,000 in Keystone grant funds to further develop Pine Hill. The park also attracts a wide variety of users who come to admire views of Michaux State Forest, especially when the leaves change color in the fall.
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