Visitor Center at Ohiopyle Honored
The Falls Area Visitor Center at Ohiopyle State Park was honored by the Green Building Alliance (GBA) at their Emerald Evening on Thursday September 20, 2018. On the occasion of its 25th Anniversary, the GBA, a nonprofit organization based in Pittsburgh, recognized the 25 most influential green buildings in western Pennsylvania constructed in the last 25 years. Awardees were selected for verified innovation in design and maintenance across a diversity of sectors, building types, and project scales, and their collective efforts have elevated sustainable building practices in Western Pennsylvania. SMP Principal Todd Woodward, Park Manager Ken Bisbee, and Deputy Secretary of DCNR Michael Walsh were on hand to accept the award.
https://www.go-gba.org/gba-25th-anniversary-awards-recipients-announced/
East Park Canoe House Ribbon Cutting
On March 9th, the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly renovated East Park Canoe House. This 1914 Spanish Mission Revival style building, designed by Walter T. Smedley, is located on the Schuylkill River along Kelly Drive in Fairmount Park and is a contributing feature to the National Register Historic District of Fairmount Park. After suffering serious deterioration and closing in 2008 due to structural failures, SMP led the design efforts to extensively rehabilitate the interior and exterior. Now restored to its original use as a boathouse, the space will be shared by the Temple University rowing and crew teams and the Philadelphia Police Marine Unit.
Grand Opening for Frances Slocum Environmental Education Center
On August 26th, Frances Slocum State Park celebrated the grand opening of their recently expanded Patrick J. Solano Environmental Education Center. The new expansion provides an updated facility for environmental education, park programming, and interpretation while immersing park visitors in the natural environment. The Center includes interior and exterior educational spaces, staff offices, exhibit space, and public restrooms. At the opening ceremony, Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said, "This building will really serve the youth of this area and open their eyes to the environment and to the outdoors.”