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Recreation for all.

Registration Open for Annual C2P2 Grant Workshop
Registration is now open for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Community Conservation Partnerships Program (C2P2) annual grant workshop.
Last year, C2P2 awarded more than $80 million in grants for local park, trail, acquisition, and other recreation and conservation projects.
The free, virtual workshop will take place on Thursday, November 6 from 9:00 AM to noon. Anyone interested in applying for a C2P2 grant in 2026 is strongly encouraged to attend.
The workshop will take place virtually via a Microsoft Teams Town Hall. Attendees do not need Teams installed on their computers to access the workshop. Videos of workshop presentations will also be made available on the DCNR YouTube channel for those who cannot attend.
The workshop will explain:
  • Who can apply
  • What can be funded
  • How to make project applications more competitive
The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required to ensure participants receive needed materials.

Pennsylvania Releases New State Outdoor Recreation Plan
Pennsylvania is excited to release its 2025-2029 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP), Outdoor Places, Shared Spaces.
The plan outlines key objectives to enhance outdoor recreation access and build on the $19 billion outdoor recreation economy.
Pennsylvania has five million acres of publicly accessible land. These public lands offer a variety of recreation opportunities. They’re deeply entrenched in democracy, community, and providing benefits to all.
The plan emphasizes the shared nature of these public spaces—socially and biologically—and considers the ways Pennsylvania can enhance them. To do that, the plan identifies five key priorities:
  • Community and Economic Development
  • Health and Wellness
  • Access and Inclusion
  • Maintenance and Infrastructure
  • Climate and Sustainability

Featured Project: Dickson City Turns Former Car Storage into First River Access
The site in Dickson City that would become Riverfront Park before renovations
Before
Riverfront Park in Dickson City after renovations
After
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) recently helped the Borough of Dickson City develop Riverfront Park, located along the Lackawanna River.
Dickson City is a community of about 6,000 people in Lackawanna County. Although the Lackawanna River runs along one side of the borough, the borough had no public river access.
In 2020, they began working with DCNR to change that.
That year, Dickson City applied to the Community Conservation Partnership Program for the acquisition of an overgrown vacant lot. The lot had been used as car storage for a former dealership, which was moving to a larger location.
By acquiring the property, the borough hoped not only to improve its downtown appearance, but to connect pedestrians to both the Lackawanna River and the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail.
Once the borough acquired the property, they worked with a consultant to create a master plan for the site. With that plan, they applied to DCNR for a second grant to help them develop the property.
Both grants came from the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund.
The end result? A paved parking area, restroom facilities, dog park, paved multi-use trail, soft kayak launch, and the community’s first direct connection to the Lackawanna River.
A video from Woodland Design Associates shows before and after shots of the exciting changes.
What was once an overgrown, fenced off eyesore has been transformed into a community asset for residents, visitors, and even four-legged friends.

Funding Opportunity: Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Now Open
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation logo
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) recently announced the opening of the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside application round.
The program provides funding for projects and activities defined as “transportation alternatives.” These include:
  • On-and off-road pedestrian and bicycle facilities
  • Infrastructure projects for improving non-driver access to public transportation and enhanced mobility
  • Community improvement activities
  • Environmental mitigation
  • Trails that serve a transportation purpose
  • Safe routes to school projects
Awarded projects are funded at 100 percent of the construction cost with no applicant match required. Awards range from $50,000 to $1,500,000.
Draft applications are due by 4:00 PM on Friday, September 5.
For more information, please email PennDOT’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program Office or call them at 717-775-3276.

Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Accepting Speakers for 2026 Conference
The Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society (PRPS) is now accepting speaker proposals for its 2026 conference.
The conference will be held March 24-27, 2026 at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim. The theme is “Powered by Play.”
The annual PRPS conference attracts around 400 park and recreation professionals from local, state, federal, and non-profit facilities.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 29.

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