DCNR Grant to Beautify Connellsville Park

The Youghiogheny River Park in Connellsville will get a facelift, as part of a broader attempt to beautify communities in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands region.

The state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will give the City of Connellsville $204,000 for park improvements. Those include a new playground, a building addition, and green spaces. The trailhead at the park will also get new signage, lighting, and landscaping.

DCNR spokeswoman Christine Novak says one of the most important aims of the grant is to connect the Youghiogheny River Park to its namesake. She says they'll achieve that by installing boulders to stabilize the riverbank.

Novak says there are economic benefits, as well.

"It'll make Connellsville a significant midpoint for trail users along the Great Allegheny Passage between Washington and Pittsburgh," says Novak.

The grant is from the Keystone Fund, a DCNR account funded by a portion of the state's realty transfer tax.