PHOTO PROVIDED From left are Commissioner Amber Concepcion, Commissioner Chair Mark Higgins, Emily Schnellbaugh (Director of Communications, PA Recreation & Park Society), Todd Roth (President of the PA Recreation & Park Society.), and Commissioner Steve Dershem.

BELLEFONTE — With outdoor recreation contributing a significant chunk of Centre County’s $1 billion tourism industry, officials are shining a spotlight on the parks — and the people — that help make the heart of Pennsylvania a great American getaway.

Tuesday, the Centre County Board of Commissioners proclaimed July 18 as Parks and Recreation Professionals Day, joining municipalities around the country in celebrating the often-overlooked employees and volunteers who care for public parks, host nature programs and create safe, welcoming spaces for the whole community.

In the meeting, the county also advanced its commitment to making these outdoor spaces more inclusive by approving accessibility upgrades in Bellefonte’s Talleyrand Park.

Parks and Recreation

Professionals Day

The county commissioners were joined by members of the Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society (PRPS), a statewide professional association headquartered in State College that provides leadership, professional development, advocacy and resources to parks and recreation workers and volunteers.

“(Parks and Recreation Professionals Day) is a day to celebrate park and rec professionals while they are busy providing summer camps, keeping families safe at local pools, planning and managing outdoor community celebrations and ensuring local trails and playgrounds are safe and clean,” said Emily Schnellbaugh, director of communications for PRPS.

This year, Friday, July 18, marks the seventh annual observance of the holiday, which was first envisioned by PRPS’s former CEO.

“If you are out in a park or at your community pool on this day, if you see the park staff, feel free to say thank you to them,” said Schnellbaugh.

Local officials say that recognition is well deserved.

“I really appreciate the fact there are so many folks who have made it their career and their passion to make sure those opportunities are available,” said Commissioner Steven Dershem. “It’s something we take for granted.”

Todd Roth, president of the PRPS board, said the goal of recreation professionals, at its core, is to make our communities better places to live.

“We take pride in what we do, and we’re just grateful for the recognition,” he said.

Fresh from a board meeting with the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau, Commissioner Amber Concepcion said she is impressed by how much outdoor recreation contributes to the economy, noting that the “outdoor recreation sector is really booming.”

She pointed out that Centre County’s outdoor events not only generate tourism dollars that contribute to the county’s billion-dollar tourism industry but also attract new residents, helping to grow the economy in a sustainable, long-term way.

“For our family — I’ve got three kids — and we’ve benefitted tremendously from Centre Region Parks and Recreation and what they provide,” Concepcion said.

From preschool programs at Millbrook Marsh to job opportunities for teens and nature programs for adults, she said there truly is something for everyone.

Before posing for a photo, Dershem asked Roth and Schnellbaugh to share their favorite parks in Centre County. Schnellbaugh named Ferguson Township’s Tom Tudek Memorial Park, while Roth chose Musser Gap — a site that the commissioners visited just last week.

The visit marked the opening of newly expanded hiking trails at Musser Gap, where local officials joined Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn to celebrate the connection of the park to Whipple Dam and Greenwood Furnace state parks. The project adds to the region’s growing network of outdoor recreation opportunities, reinforcing Centre County’s role as a destination for both residents and visitors.

Talleyrand Park

accessibility upgrades

A second order of business related to parks was the approval of contracts with Bellefonte Borough through SEDA-COG to implement accessibility upgrades at Talleyrand Park.

The County received $292,108 through the Community Development Block Grant to allocate to the Borough for park upgrades.

The Talleyrand Suspension Bridge Removal of Architectural Barriers project will rehabilitate the suspension bridge on the southwest side of the park, create an ADA accessible path to the duck pond and replace picnic tables that are ADA inaccessible, which commissioners say will promote accessibility and improve ADA compliance.

According to the county’s communication’s coordinator, “Each element of the project aims to make Talleyrand Park available to all community members, ensuring we can all enjoy the park’s natural, community-building, cultural, historical and educational offerings.”