Regional Cooperation for Parks & Recreation

Regional Parks Update (28 Jan 08)

During 2001, the COG Ad Hoc Regional Parks Committee was formed to study and recommend options to the COG General Forum with regard to working together to provide larger-size parks that address the shortage of outdoor sportfields in the region. The committee consisted on one elected official from each of the five participating municipalities: The Borough of State College and the Townships of College, Ferguson, Harris and Patton.

For 2008, the following officials serve on the COG Ad Hoc Regional Parks Committee:
• Dan Klees, College Township Council (Committee Chair)
• Cliff Warner, Harris Township Board of Supervisors (Committee Vice-Chair)
• Jim Rosenberger, State College Borough Council
• Jeff Luck, Patton Township Board of Supervisors
• Dick Mascolo, Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors
• Dan Sieminski, Penn State University

The committee meets at 12:15 PM on the 3rd Thursday of each month, at the COG Building Forum Room.

As a result of their monthly meetings and municipal cooperation, the COG continues to make steady progress towards building larger parks for the future. All these actions are based upon a series of municipal agreements developed during 2005 and 2006 among the five municipalities, which detail the ownership shares and establish a procedure for the planning and phased development of these two parks. The regional parks are intended to compliment each other with a focus on active (outdoor) recreation facilities. The estimated costs and the construction schedules for each park have not been established pending the completion of each Master Site Plan.

With the assistance of Penn State University, a number of potential park sites were identified and evaluated - and two sites were selected for municipal action:

• The Oak Hall parklands in College and Harris Townships

With the assistance of a $300,000 state grant, 68-acres for a regional park at Oak Hall were purchased from Penn State by COG in 2005.   During 2008 a Master Site Plan will be prepared for the site, funded by COG and another PA DCNR grant (Grant Amount: $38,000).

Seven firms submitted proposals to prepare a Master Site Plan. The committee selected four firms for additional consideration and on Thursday, 20 Mar 08, the COG Ad Hoc Regional Park Committee and the CRPR Board held 1 hour interviews with each of the 4 firms.  On Monday, 24 Mar 08, the COG General Forum unanimously approved the recommendation from the Ad Hoc Regional Park Committee that the firm of Pashek Associates be retained at a not-to-exceed price of $66,000 - pending approval of PA DCNR.

• The Whitehall Road parklands in Ferguson Township

A $159,000 state grant was announced in 2006 to assist the COG in the purchase from Penn State of a 75-acre tract for future parklands near the intersection of Blue Course Drive and Whitehall Road. That purchase is now scheduled for March-April 2008 and the parklands will be owned jointly by COG and Ferguson Township. Pending available funding, a Master Site Plan will then be prepared for that site.

With regard to the renewal of the two community swimming pools, please follow the planning processes HERE.

• A Master Site Plan for Park Forest Pool was completed, with construction to begin in August 2008, pending municipal approvals.
• The Master Site Plan for the renewal of Wm. L. Welch Community Swimming Pool is now being developed with construction proposed to begin in August 2009.
Community participation remains a vital part of those processes.