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Shaver's Creek Environmental Center receives grant for new pavilions and trail

Monday, January 7, 2007

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, a unit of Penn State Outreach, has received a $100,000 matching grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to build two new pavilions, a climbing wall and a trail. 

"It is an exciting grant," said Mark McLaughlin, director of Shaver's Creek. "It speaks to the fact that Shaver's Creek needs more accommodations and covered outdoor teaching spaces; it meets our needs now and into the future." Penn State Outreach has launched a "challenge campaign" to raise additional monies required to complete the project. 

The grant for renovation at Shaver's Creek was part of a $39.4 million investment in 406 land protection, conservation and recreation projects around the state. "This investment will help us preserve and enhance the tremendous opportunities in Pennsylvania to connect with the great outdoors," said Gov. Ed Rendell when the grants were announced. 

The pavilion will feature seating for about 75 people and have a rustic look that will blend in with the main existing building at the center. Wrapping around the southwest corner of the pavilion will be an open deck, elevated over the Lake Perez-facing hillside. Visitors and campers at the center will be able to enjoy a large stone fireplace for outdoor campfires. An Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible climbing wall-available to groups and individuals-on the deck side of the chimney will have interchangeable climbing routes for teaching groups or individuals about rock climbing. 

A universally accessible trail will go from the new pavilion down to the lakefront, where it will connect to a new, covered outdoor teaching space (made possible by an anonymous donor), a small boat dock and protective shoreline improvements to prevent erosion. The construction will be done in phases, with the entire project expected to be completed by the fall.  McLaughlin said the grant demonstrates that Shaver's Creek's goals are similar to those of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR): "We were able to show the DCNR that we are tightly aligned with what they would like to do: create outdoor experiences for all Pennsylvanians-from the very young to the elderly-and simultaneously train leaders who can take those people out," said McLaughlin. "We can act as one of the caretakers of the outdoor world for the DCNR."

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Jeff Smith, Senior Director for Outreach Finance, Technology, and Facilities, Associate Director of Office of Sponsored Programs, and Elaine Stewart, Outreach Contract and Proposal Specialist have been given new authority that will give Outreach a significant level of independence and a unique level of autonomy within the Penn State community. 

These agreements continue our efforts to increase the competitiveness of our grants and contracts proposals, maximize the value of those proposals and projects to the organization, and promote our organizational values of entrepreneurship, leadership, learning, and service. Please reference the PDF documents noted below for details of these agreements:

Jeff Smith signatory agreement (PDF Document)

Elaine Stewart signatory agreement (PDF Document)