Centre County honors park and recreation staff with proclamation

BELLEFONTE -- The Centre County Board of Commissioners honored the staff and volunteers that ensure the safety, cleanliness and continued support of parks and recreation by proclaiming Friday, July 17, 2026, as Park and Recreation Professionals Day in the county.

According to the proclamation, approved at Tuesday's board meeting, all of Pennsylvania boasts more than 6,500 local parks totalling 195,000 acres; 125 state parks, totaling 300,000 acres; 20 state forests, totaling 2.2 million acres; more than 12,000 miles of trails; 513,000 acres of Allegheny National Forest; 1.5 million acres of State Game Lands; 19 National Park Sites; 12 Heritage Areas; and three national wildlife refuges.

The proclamation further states parks and recreation contributes over $2 billion annually in economic activity, generated by local parks and recreation and supports nearly 15,000 employees, develops local workforces and boosts home values and property tax bases.

Accepting the proclamation on Tuesday were representatives of the Pennsylvania Recreation Parks Society, Niki Tourscher, executive director; and board president, Todd Roth.

Tourscher said this was PRPS's eighth year celebrating Park and Recreation Professionals Day. She said PRPS is a statewide professional association which provides industry leadership, professional development and resources for those who work and volunteer within parks and recreation.

Roth noted professionals within the parks and recreation field look to improve communities.

"As a recreation professional I just want to say our goal, our job, is to make our communities better places to live. We are proud to do that and we're honored to be recognized for those efforts," he said.

Commissioner Amber Concepcion noted summer can prove to be a busy time of year for park and recreation staff in the Centre Region and beyond.

"In the Centre Region there's all kinds of activities going on through Centre Region Parks and Recreation from summer camps and swim teams to all kinds of regular activities you do throughout the year," Concepcion said.

Commissioner Steve Derhem noted the state parks in the area are also a hub of activity.

"Pennsylvania has over 65 local and state parks. So we're really lucky that anywhere you go in this state you can find a park," Tourscher said.

Commissioner Board Chair Mark Higgins, who attended the meeting virtually, noted a 66th park could be added -- one with a cave -- referencing the board's previous letter of support for the state to make Penn's Cave another of its parks.

Dershem asked Tourscher and Roth if there were ways residents could learn about what paths an individual interested in a career in parks and recreation could take.

Tourscher said PRPS's website, www.prps.org, could review a video about this.

"If you go to our website we actually have a video called 'A Career Choice' that highlights just a few of the ways you can become a park and recreation professional," she said. "We also have a list of local universities that provide either park and recreation programs or similar programs, such as sports management."

Concepcion noted Penn State University had a program, which Tourscher said has produced many board members and staff for the PRPS.

"We're lucky to have professionals like Todd and the rest of our members," she said.

Concepcion noted the importance of parks and the resources they provide. She pointed to the continued work to fund improvements to the pool in Governor's Park in Bellefonte.

"With the summertime here, the pools form a really crucial part of the park and recreation scope in our region. I know the greater Bellefonte area is working really hard to go out to bid for the pool at Governor's Park," she said.

Dershem noted, with the heat this week, public pools also provide a needed respite from the oppressive temperatures.