Fish & Boat Commission Awards More Than $500,000 In Boating Facility Grants

On February 28, the Fish and Boat Commission announced the award of more than $500,000 in Boating Facility Grants to assist with twelve projects in eleven counties.

Recipients of the grants, including local governments and eligible nonprofit groups, successfully applied for funding to assist with the planning, acquisition, development, expansion or rehabilitation of public boating access areas. 

Funds awarded through the program will be used to provide or improve public recreational boat access facilities that are open and available for general public use.

"Making our recreational waterways safer, more welcoming, and accessible is a priority for our agency," said Richard Lewis, PFBC Boating-At-Large Commissioner and Chair of the PFBC Boating Committee. "We're excited to partner with others to get these projects going."

Grants awarded through this program can be used for site acquisition, project design, construction and major rehabilitation of recreational boat access facilities. Activities will benefit and directly support public recreational boating.

"These grants represent additional opportunities for boaters across the Commonwealth," said Charlie Charlesworth, PFBC Boating-At-Large Commissioner. "Creating those opportunities requires resources and these dollars are being well-invested."

The boating facility grants include:

-- Armstrong County: Manor Township, Fort Run Park Canoe/Kayak Launch, Allegheny River

-- Berks County: Schuylkill River Greenways, Yarnell Park Access, Schuylkill River

-- Berks County: Muhlenberg Township, Jim Dietrich Park Water Trail Landing, Schuylkill River

-- Chester County: North Coventry Township, Riverside Park, Schuylkill River

-- Cumberland County: Borough of Camp Hill, Creek Road Kayak Launch, Conodoguinet Creek

-- Crawford County: Cochranton Area Redevelopment Effort, Cochranton Landing, French Creek, Crawford County

-- Dauphin County: Lower Swatara Township, Fulling Mill Boat Launch, Swatara Creek

-- Delaware County: Natural Lands Trust, Inc., Stroud Preserve Boat Launch, East Branch of Brandywine Creek

-- Huntingdon County: Mapleton Borough, Riverside Memorial Park, Juniata River

-- Montgomery County: Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy, Collegeville Access Project, Perkiomen Creek

-- Philadelphia County: Glen Foerd on the Delaware, Glen Foerd Kayak Dock, Poquessing Creek and Delaware River

-- Westmoreland County: Conemaugh Valley Conservancy, Seward Fifth Street River Access, Conemaugh River

All projects funded for this round of grants must be completed by December 31, 2022.

The PFBC expects to issue additional calls for proposals in the coming months to support projects that will connect anglers and boaters to Pennsylvania waterways. 

For more information on this program, visit the Fish & Boat Commission’s Boating Facility Grant Program webpage.  Visit the Commission’s Grants webpage to learn about other funding opportunities.

[Posted: February 28, 2020] PA Environment Digest