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Regional Cooperation for
Parks & Recreation
"COG Regional Parks" Information |
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Four municipal leaders power their shovels at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Oak Hall Regional Park on 25 Apr 2013. From left:
- Sue Mascolo, Chair of the CRPR Authority;
- George Pytel, Chair of the COG General Forum;
- Dan Klees, Former Chair of the COG Parks Capital Committee;
- Dave Fryer, Chair of College Twp. Council.
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COG REGIONAL PARKS UPDATE
Since 2001, the elected officials of the five participating municipalities have been working together to provide new, larger regional parks for the future - focused on active recreation opportunities for families and community organizations. Those efforts have opened a new chapter in the long history of regional cooperation for municipal parks and recreation that involves shared funding of the acquisition, planning and development of those new park areas. We are also fortunate that this level of cooperation has engaged funding assistance from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to help make the new regional parks a reality.
Municipal officials have worked together to:
- Jointly acquire the three sites (Oak Hall, Whitehall Road and the Hess Field Complex),
- Develop and approve Master Site Plans for each site (see below)
- Complete the interim renovations and safety improvements at the Hess Complex,
- Secure $7.5 million in long-term financing to proceed with the Phase 1 developments at the Oak Hall and Whitehall Road sites. This loan was refinanced in Jan. 2013 to take advantage of reduced interest rates.
- Finalize the Phase 1 planning and construction processes for the Oak Hall and Whitehall Road sites.
- Begin preliminary plan for a Capital Campaign to assist with further development at the three sites.
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So what makes the “Regional Parks” different?
To date, the municipal parks have been acquired and built by the host municipality; the annual costs to program, operate and maintain the parks are then shared by the five municipalities. However, a new approach was needed to address the shortage of public sportfields across the region. Given the land area required for a group of sportfields combined with the high cost of construction, Regional Parks offer an efficient option for the region to provide those facilities to all residents. Discussion and action regarding this option is only possible thanks to the successful history of municipal cooperation in the Centre Region.
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The process to acquire, master plan and develop the regional parks is being coordinated by:
The Regional Park Planning Committee
A 12-member committee was formed in 2007 to oversee the Master Planning Process for the regional parks. The committee consists of the appointed members of the COG Parks Capital Committee and the Centre Regional Recreation Authority / CRPR Board. Click HERE to review the committee meeting documents.
2013
COG Parks Capital Committee (6) |
2013
Centre Regional Recreation Authority /
Centre Reg. Parks & Recreation Board
(6)
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• Jeff Luck, Chair, Patton Township Board of Supervisors
• Tom Daubert, Vice-Chair, State College Borough Council
• Cliff Warner, Harris Township Board of Supervisors
• Dick Mascolo, Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors
• Eric Bernier, College Township Council
• Dan Sieminski, Penn State University
This committee was formed in 2001 (as the COG Ad Hoc Regional Parks Committee) and for 2013 will meet at 12:15 PM on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the COG Building Forum Room. Their meetings are conducted as Joint Meetings with the Centre Regional Rec. Authority.
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• Sue Mascolo, Township of Ferguson
• Roy F. Harpster, Township of Harris
• Kathy D. Matason, Township of College
• Donna L. Conway, Borough of State College
• Donna M. Ricketts, D.Ed., SCASD
• Chris M. Hurley, Township of Patton
The Authority/Board was formed in 1970 and in 2013 will meet at 12:15 PM on the 3rd Thursday of each month at various locations. CLICK HERE for their meeting schedule
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Since 2001, the elected officials of the five participating municipalities have been
working together to establish new, larger regional parks for the future - focused on active recreation
opportunities for families and community organizations. Those efforts have opened a new chapter in the
long history of regional cooperation for municipal parks and recreation that involves shared funding
of the acquisition, planning and development of those new park areas.
As a result of their monthly meetings and municipal cooperation, the COG
continues to make steady progress towards building these larger parks for the future. With the assistance
of Penn State University, a number of potential park sites were identified and evaluated - and
two park sites were selected by the elected officials for cooperative, municipal actions. During 2005 and 2006 a number of municipal agreements were prepared and approved which detailed the ownership shares and
established a procedure for the planning, development and operation of the two parks (Oak Hall & Whitehall Road). As a result, the
regional parks are intended to complement each other, with a common focus on active (outdoor)
recreation facilities.
We are also fortunate that
this level of cooperation has also engaged funding assistance from the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania to help make the new regional parks a reality. The 68-acre Oak Hall parkland was acquired from
Penn State in 2005 and the 75-acre Whitehall Road parkland was purchased in May 2008 - both with state grant assistance. In addition, the PA Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources approved grants to assist with the development of
a Master Site Plan for each site. In 2010 PA DCNR approved a grant application from COG for funding assistance to acquire an additional 25-acre parcel from Penn State University to expand (in May 2011) the Whitehall Road Regional Parklands to the fully-planned, 100-acre size.
The proposal to include Hess Softball Field Complex as a third "regional park" was made by Harris Township in Sept. 2009. The COG General Forum voted unanimously on 23 Aug 2010 to acquire, upgrade and operate that property; the closing was held on 1 Sep 2010. A Master Site Plan has been approved for that site.
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INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THESE PROJECTS?
Please subscribe HERE to the free eNewsletters from CRPR for the "Regional Parks." |
Please explore the specific information related to each park plan:
1. The OAK HALL
REGIONAL PARKLANDS (with 4 softball fields)
68-acres in Harris & College Townships (Photo of parklands).
The Master Site Plan was amended and approved in March 2011. The Phase 1 Construction process is scheduled to begin in April/May 2013.
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The COG REGIONAL PARKS - DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE
as of 26 Feb 2013
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OAK HALL REGIONAL PARK Phase 1 Project Budget: $3,654,000
+ $125,528 added by action of
the COG General Forum
= $3,779,528. |
WHITEHALL ROAD
REGIONAL PARK
Phase 1 Project Budget: $5,246,000 + $300,000 State Grant
Announced Dec. 2011
= $5,546,000. |
Property Acquired |
2005 (68 acres) |
2008 (75 acres)
2011 (25 acres) |
Final Master Plan Adopted |
2011 |
2013 |
Bidding (Phase 1) |
Bid Awards in Feb 2013 |
Summer 2013 |
Park Construction Starts |
April/May 2013 |
Sept. 2013 |
Building Construction Starts |
July 2013 |
May 2014 |
Sportsturf “Grow Time” |
Spring & Fall 2014 |
Fall 2014 & Spring 2015 |
Park Opens |
Spring 2015 |
Fall 2015 |
TOTAL PHASE 1 PROJECT COSTS (both sites): $9.3 million.
The draw-down window for the Phase 1 Construction Loan will close on 1 Jun 2014.
The COG General Forum agreed to discuss funding provisions for the Phase 2 programs by June 2014. |
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• The COMMUNITY TENNIS GROUP PROPOSAL
During the Oak Hall Parkland Master Planning Process, a group of tennis players organized as the Centre Region Community Tennis Assn. (CRCTA) to "aid and encourage the growth of tennis as a year-round, lifelong sport for
youth and adults, including a large senior tennis-playing population, in the Centre
Region." The focus of their efforts was an indoor tennis facility to be constructed on regional parklands. The group subsequently proposed the inclusion of a six-court,
year-round tennis facility in the Master Plan for the Whitehall Road
Regional Parklands.
It is noted that the initiative for the regional parks has been based upon outdoor recreation facilities. The CRPR Board then provided the group with a series of questions that the group should respond to. The CRCTA made their presentation to the CRPR Board on Thursday, 14 May 2009. That report is posted here (in two parts) for public information:
The Proposal from the
Centre Region Community Tennis Assn. (CRCTA) |
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The proposal remains under consideration pending municipal decisions on providing the building site and funding / operating the facility to benefit the community. |
With regard to the renewal of the two community swimming pools,
please review the
planning and construction processes HERE.
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