Pennsylvania Department of Aging

05/24/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 05/24/2022 12:35

Wolf Administration Highlights How Recovery Funds Could Help with Infrastructure Needs at Memorial Lake State Park, Across PA Public Lands

​East Hanover Township, PA -- Members of the Wolf Administration today visited Memorial Lake State Park in Lebanon County to call attention to the park's infrastructure needs, also highlighting how pandemic recovery funds could be used to address outdated facilities and public safety preparedness across the state.

"Memorial Lake is one of our beautiful state parks that is in need of investment in critical infrastructure upgrades," Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Deputy Secretary John Norbeck said. "We have a great opportunity to invest in infrastructure on public lands as more and more people turn to the outdoors for their health and wellness. State parks and forests are economic drivers in many communities across the commonwealth and we must support them in every way possible."

Memorial Lake has more than $10 million in infrastructure needs at the park including upgrades to the park's dam to increase spillway capacity, comfort station improvements, new pavilions, parking lot expansion and other critical needs. The Memorial Lake State Park Complex recently expanded and acquired Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area and Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area, necessitating a new main park office to account for the increase in visitors, staff and responsibilities at the complex.

Norbeck noted Gov. Tom Wolf's $1.7 billion plan to help Pennsylvania recover from the COVID-19 pandemic includes designating $450 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars for conservation, recreation and preservation.

DCNR has a documented need of more than $1.4 billion for infrastructure repairs and improvements. Much of the aging infrastructure was built in the 1970s and includes 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.

Pennsylvania made its last major injection of funding for conservation and outdoor recreation in 2005 with the Growing Greener II initiative, which funded hundreds of trail projects, conserved thousands of acres of threatened and open space and helped with hundreds of water projects to reduce pollution and flooding.

Statewide, outdoor recreation is a multibillion-dollar industry that directly supports 150,000 jobs. For every dollar invested in state parks, $12.41 returns to the commonwealth.

DCNR manages 121 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.

Featuring a scenic lake and natural vistas, Memorial Lake is a 230-acre gem nestled near between Fort Indiantown Gap, headquarters for the Pennsylvania Army and Air National Guard and the base of Blue Mountain.

Visit DCNR's website for more information about Memorial Lake State Park or call 717-865-6470.

MEDIA CONTACT: Wesley Robinson, 717-877-6315

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