HARRISBURG – Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-33) today announced that Cumberland Township in Adams County received a $40,000 state grant through the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) to develop a comprehensive Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.
The plan will be used to determine what the township’s recreational goals should be. It will also identify the methods, resources, organizational capacity and funding needed to accomplish those goals.
Specifically, the plan will assess residents’ interests in recreation and future recreation needs; provide benchmark comparisons of parks, facilities, greenways, trails, programs and operations in similar communities; and give recommendations and establish priorities to guide municipal decisions about recreation in the next decade.
“Residential and commercial development is expected to keep growing, so this funding will be beneficial in ensuring future funding for outdoor recreation is spent wisely. With some research and thoughtfulness, we can maximize the desirability of the township as a place to live, play and work,” Mastriano said. “This is especially important as the township does not currently own any municipal recreational facilities within its borders.”
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) estimates that only 35% of the township’s population has access to a park, trail or open space within a 10-minute walk. This coverage is significantly lower than the statewide average of 54%.
DCNR also identifies a large geographical area of “high need” in the northern half of the township, including the region where the township is experiencing most of its residential growth.
The CFA is an independent agency of the Department of Community and Economic Development that administers many of Pennsylvania’s economic development and community improvement programs.
CONTACT: Don Beishl, 717-787-6701