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Clinton County Event Recognizes 25 Years Of Keystone Fund Support For Local Projects

On September 27, local nonprofits, municipalities and other officials celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Keystone Fund and its support of local recreation, land conservation, university and other projects in Clinton County.

Clinton County has received over $6,890,663 from the Keystone Fund to support local projects.

The celebration was held in the lobby of Ulmer Hall on the campus of Lock Haven University. The State System for Higher Education is one of the state agencies who administers money from the Keystone Fund and Lock Haven University President Robert Pignatello welcomed the assembled group.

President Pignatello said, “Lock Haven University is honored to have been selected as the location to help celebrate this important milestone. The University has received more than $4.5 million from Keystone funding since 1994 to allow us to address a large backlog of deferred maintenance projects for nearly every building on campus, including the lobby of this building. We’ve also been able to replace roofs and chillers, make upgrades to the fire alarm systems, and undertake abatement of hazardous materials for example. These funds have allowed Lock Haven University to preserve and maintain the integrity of buildings that house services vital to our community, lessening the burden to those who use our services.”

Also speaking about the Fund’s impact in the community were County Commissioner Pete Smeltz, Lock Haven City Manager Gregory Wilson, Clinton County Historical Society Board President Jo Ann Bowes, and Rep. Mike Hanna.

Rep. Hanna noted his sponsorship of the enabling legislation in 1993 to establish the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (Act 50 of 1993).

Since Rep. Hanna and his colleagues passed the legislation the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has awarded $1,898,200 in Keystone Funds to Clinton County projects; PA Historic and Museum Commission has awarded $134,618 in Keystone Funds to Clinton County’s museums; Department of Education has awarded $140,275 in Keystone Funds to Clinton County’s libraries; the State System of Higher Education has awarded Lock Haven University $4,717,570 of Keystone Funds.

Several speakers noted the Bald Eagle Valley Trail now being developed in the County has already benefited from the Fund. In addition to planning grants for the county’s open space and greenway plan several of the community parks the Trail will pass through have been acquired and developed using money from the Keystone Fund.

Back in the Spring, the County applied for a grant to begin work on the next phase of the Trail. Commissioner Smeltz commented that they County looks forward to continuing to utilize monies from the Keystone Fund as the Trail is developed.

For more information on this program, visit the Keystone Fund website. Questions should be directed to Renee’ Carey, 570-323-6222 or send email to: rcarey@npcweb.org.

DCNR Grants

To learn more about other available grant opportunities to support trail and recreation projects, attend one of the upcoming workshops on DCNR’s Community Conservation Grant Program. Click Here for more.

(Photo: Lock Haven University President Robert Pignatello.)

NewsClips:

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Editorial: Revive, Fully Fund Federal Land & Water Conservation Fund

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