Shapiro admin, local officials talk improvements at Bald Eagle State Park
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HOWARD -- Bald Eagle State Park is host to many gorgeous sights and activities for the community to see and enjoy, but it also has, in some areas, outdated facilities and areas that are not accessible to all.
Bald Eagle State Park contains 5,900-acres, featuring a 1,730-acre lake surrounded by forests, fields and wetlands.
The park has two campgrounds, the Nature Inn and recreational facilities for the community to utilize for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking and much more.
These facilities, however, are aging along with the park, and are in need of some revamping.
Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn called attention to Governor Josh Shapiro's proposed budget, and how it could address these outdated facilities and public safety preparedness not just at our local state park, but across the Commonwealth.
"A campground upgrade and projects focused on public health underway at Bald Eagle are among the many improvements that are being made to provide visitors modern facilities and full-service camping," said Dunn. "These types of infrastructure projects are essential to meeting visitor expectations and providing for their safety, and the money in the governor's budget is critical in addressing infrastructure needs of our state forests and state parks throughout Pennsylvania."
Bald Eagle has $18.5 million in infrastructure needs which include upgrades to the sewage treatment plant, modernizing the campground shower house, replacing water main pumps and providing larger sites in the campground with utilities for RVs. Maintenance of the exterior of the Nature Inn is also a necessary expense.
DCNR Deputy Secretary Mike Walsh was enthusiastic about some of the changes being made at this park and numerous other parks across the state.
"At DCNR we have 40 state parks that have electric vehicle charging stations. We're on our way to having 116 plugs across our state parks so people can go and recharge their vehicles while they regenerate themselves in the park," said Walsh.
With individuals in urban areas making the switch to electric vehicles, many of them can no longer travel to more rural areas like state parks.
"Each year the number of electric vehicles increases in Pennsylvania. Those users want to get out to parks and forests, but the infrastructure is usually in urban areas. By putting electric vehicle charging stations in state parks, we're providing EV users with a chance to go out and enjoy the natural resources," said Walsh. "Our mission is that all of our public lands should be welcoming to all, and our programs and services available to all."
DCNR has a documented need of more than $1.4 billion for infrastructure repairs and improvements. Issues such as addressing wear and tear, extreme weather and climate change impacts and a high demand for outdoor recreation require investments, which also allow incorporation of sustainable design and energy efficiency.
Outdoor recreation contributes nearly $14 billion to Pennsylvania's economy, accounting for 152,000 jobs.
Mark Ott, Howard Fire Company Swiftwater Rescue Tech, EMT and Fire Police Captain, was in attendance to speak on how the park affects the local community.
"The Howard Fire Company has benefited from the park as a location to hold our annual Punkin Chunkin Fall Festival. In addition, the company uses park facilities for water and ice rescue training for the County Swiftwater Rescue Team," Ott said. "The park gets heavy use and needs repairs, upgrades and refreshing, as is the case for most of our state parks. It behooves us to keep these jewels shining for future generations."
State Representative Paul Takac shared a similar experience with the community aspect of the park.
"My kids grew up in this park. Every Sunday after church that was a nice day we were here... (The Pennsylvania Wilds) are a great investment -- there's nothing more worthwhile that we can do than to invest in the natural resources here," Takac said.
After the group spoke about the infrastructure needs and the asset Bald Eagle State Park is to Centre County, Kristin Paradise, Gov. Shapiro's Central Region Director, closed out the event.
"This is exactly the kind of conversation that helps move us forward. You look at the mix of folks that we have here, it's our community, our businesses, our tourism. This proposed investment is an opportunity for us to continue that conversation and move the needle forward in Pennsylvania," said Paradise.
DCNR manages 124 state parks -- 2.2 million acres of state forest lands -- and is tasked with conserving and sustaining Pennsylvania's natural resources for present and future generations' use and enjoyment.
Find more information about Bald Eagle State Park on the DCNR website. Check DCNR's Calendar of Events for happenings on public lands.