The grants were awarded under the Canoe Access Development Fund, which supports projects to improve canoe and kayak access to Western Pennsylvania’s waterways.
The grants were awarded to--
-- Benscreek Canoe Club for the Border Dam Boating Ramp on StoneyCreek in Somerset County ($5,000);
-- Cameron County Chamber of Commerce Foundation for the Cameron Canoe/ Kayak Launch on Driftwood Branch Sinnemahoning in Cameron County ($4,400);
-- Heath Township Sportsmen’s Club for Heath Township Canoe Launch on the Clarion River in Jefferson County ($5,000);
-- Ken Sink Trout Unlimited for the Little Mahoning Creek Canoe and Kayak Public Access Site on Little Mahoning Creek in Indiana County ($5,000); and
-- Ridgway Borough for the Ridgway Mills Campground Access on the Clarion River in Elk County ($5,000).
Program
The Conservancy’s CADF provides technical assistance and grants of up to $5,000 for the construction and enhancement of canoe and kayak access locations.
Founded in 2008 and funded by longtime Conservancy members and outdoor enthusiasts Roy Weil and Mary Shaw, CADF provides grants to watershed organizations and other community groups to make the region’s rivers and streams more accessible for outdoor recreation by developing and improving access sites for canoeists, kayakers and anglers.
Grant funding could be used to help to stabilize access areas to rivers or streams, add nearby parking areas, purchase riverside land for an access site or to make other improvements.
The Conservancy has funded 105 canoe access site projects along 40 different waterways in 24 counties in the region.
An interactive map on the Conservancy’s website allows users to explore the region’s Conservancy-funded access sites.
Westmoreland Project
The Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County received a CADF grant in 2025 to improve a canoe launch on Indian Creek near Mill Run in Springfield Township, Fayette County.
“The canoe takeout point was in rough shape,” says Colin Sheridan, MAWC security and caretaker supervisor. “Cars were able to drive to the shoreline, causing erosion and slippery, muddy conditions and increasing sedimentation in the reservoir.”
Using the grant money, MAWC laid layers of geotextile cloth, gravel and stone.
“We added support to the shoreline for ease of entering and exiting the river, and large stones to prevent vehicles from driving to the water’s edge, ensuring these upgrades will last far into the future,” said Sheridan.
Kelly Horrell, watershed conservation program administrator at the Conservancy, says the fund provides technical assistance for all aspects of project development, including helping a group decide on a site location and assisting with the permit process.
“We can assist with a site design to show where a ramp or trail to the stream could be situated, or help determine ideal surface materials,” Kelly notes, adding that the access sites restore and stabilize the streambank, reducing erosion and sedimentation into the streams.
Next Grant Round Open
The Conservancy is now accepting applications for the next round of grants. The deadline to apply is April 24.
Projects in these counties would be eligible-- Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Lawrence, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Somerset, Venango, Warren, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Visit the WPC Canoe Access Development Fund webpage for a downloadable application and all the details.
More information is available on programs, initiatives and special events at the Western PA Conservancy website. Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Conservancy, Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, join them on Instagram, visit the Conservancy’s YouTube Channel or add them to your network on Linkedin. Click Here to support their work.
[Posted: March 16, 2026] PA Environment Digest
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