In 1966, the five municipalities of the Centre Region came together to form Centre Region Parks and Recreation as a cooperative effort to maintain and grow recreation programs and local parks.
Now CRPR is celebrating its 50th anniversary, having grown to include 900 acres at 54 sites and a huge range of programs for all ages, including the community swimming pools and the Centre Region Senior Center. The golden anniversary celebration culminates Saturday with the CRPR 50 Fest from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Tom Tudek Park Memorial Park at 400 Herman Drive.
‘There’s a whole lot of opportunities from 10 until 2 that people can benefit from,’ said CRPR Director Ron Woodhead. ‘It’s what parks do best — parks are supposed to have people in them and we’re looking forward to Saturday that being the case.’
The day will include games and prizes and inflatable obstacle course and bounce house, along with activity stations from CRPR staff, Spring Creek Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Schlow Centre Region Library, Centre Soccer Association, Healthy Kids Running, Centre Region Community Tennis Association and Penn State Master Gardeners.
Everything is free, except for food concessions that will be on hand.
‘The nice thing about Tudek Park is that there is something there for all ages,’ Woodhead said, noting the many amenities the park regularly offers, including the dog park, butterfly garden, perimeter trail and community garden.
For Woodhead, the celebration is particularly special. On Aug. 31 he will retire after nearly 20 years with CRPR.
He said that the Centre Region is special in how much the local community values its parks and recreation and the investments that have been made in CRPR over the years — investments he hopes will continue for future generations to enjoy local parks.
His fondest memories will be of people enjoying what CRPR offers, and the cooperative efforts of local governments to support them.
‘It’s all about seeing people benefit from the parks and recreation opportunities provided from five municipalities,’ Woodhead said. ‘This isn’t just one municipality. This is 50 years of municipal cooperation, which certainly isn’t the easiest thing to do for 50 years. But they made it work, and I think the agency has benefited from that and certainly the community has. That’s been the most rewarding aspect, to see people in the parks, see the smiles including from our own children, and to see the difference it makes in people’s lives.’
But Saturday’s festival will be special for each member of CRPR’s full-time staff of 21, who will all play a role in making the celebration happen.
Woodhead said CRPR’s summer intern, Kyrie Hartzell, led planning efforts for the festival. A parks and recreation student at Slippery Rock University, Hartzell spent the summer coordinating the event.
‘She’s done a great job pulling this all together, talking to the groups,’ Woodhead said. ‘And we didn’t tie her grade to the weather.’
If it does rain, CRPR will aim to hold the festival at the same time on Sunday.
