Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn visited Wilkinsburg to announce $110,000 in new grant funding to help rehabilitate Rosa Parks Park in the Allegheny County borough.
"I am proud to announce this investment in outdoor recreation in Wilkinsburg Borough and look forward to seeing the impact this park will have in the community," Dunn said. "The outdoors are wonderful connectors that help bring people together. We at DCNR are hopeful that this park becomes the home to programs, activities, and spontaneous enjoyment for the people of Wilkinsburg."
DCNR grant funding will assist the borough with construction of pedestrian walkways, basketball court, pavilion, parking area, installation of play equipment with required safety surfacing, ADA access, landscaping, and other related improvements at Rosa Parks Park.
Wilkinsburg is matching DCNR's investment to support the completion of this project.
"This park is unique in that it is built in the center of a block; it proposes unique challenges in terms of creating a space that serves the community and respects the most immediate neighbors," said Michael McMullen, Wilkinsburg Council Member and Member of the Parks and Recreation Board. "Through several rounds of community engagement, we've crafted a plan that should deliver a space that feels like an extension of home, offering a safe space to play and a gathering place for events and celebrations. Wilkinsburg has a unique wealth of Parks and green spaces, and we believe that every citizen deserves the health and happiness that comes with access to public places."
The Wolf Administration recently announced a historic $90 million investment to improve recreation and community revitalization across Pennsylvania through grants.
A special fall grant opportunity will highlight helping underserved communities, closing trail gaps, supporting an invigorated focus on the outdoor recreation sector, and planting trees along streams and in communities.
"All of us deserve beautiful green spaces in our communities, where we can enjoy time in nature with our friends and families," state Senator Jay Costa said. "I'm very pleased that we were able to secure grant funding to improve Rosa Parks Park to make it more accessible and usable to the folks who call Wilkinsburg home. I look forward to visiting myself, and to seeing people of all races, faiths, incomes, and ZIP codes spending quality time in a cherished public park."
The grants are administered by the DCNR Community Conservation Partnerships Program.
Funding comes from the Keystone Fund, which is generated from a portion of the realty transfer tax; the Environmental Stewardship Fund; and federal monies.
Categories: Pennsylvania, General