78
THE COUNTY’S OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION NETWORK
PLANNING ISSUE
Demand for additional sports
fields and facilities, especially
for youth programs, remains
strong. It is increasingly
difficult, however, to find
undeveloped sites that are
available, affordable, and
unconstrained by important
natural resources or
community concerns.
Preserved Open Space
Temporary Open Space
Recreation Facilities
Trails and Pathways
Recreation Facilities
Public access to recreation is a key component of
community vitality and quality of life. Recreational
opportunities benefit everyone by promoting a fitter,
healthier population and giving communities an outlet for
productive and socially beneficial leisure time.
In pursuing recreational interests, people can combine
physical exercise, mental relaxation, and social interaction
while strengthening their connection to the outdoors and
understanding of the natural environment. A Kent State
University professor of recreation, park, and tourism
management sums up these quality-of-life benefits-
good for
the mind and body, even better for your social life, and great
for the great outdoors.
Public recreation can also be a strong economic driver that
stimulates business investment, enhances property values,
motivates residential choices, and attracts visitors and
tourists. A current factsheet from PA DCNR on the
economic impacts of local recreation finds that “(l)ocal
parks, open space and trails provide opportunities for close-
to-home recreation. This conservation and recreation
infrastructure...contributes substantially to the
Commonwealth’s economy.” The Outdoor Industry
Association, with offices in Washington DC, concurs: “In
short, outdoor recreation is a growing and diverse economic
super sector that is a vital cornerstone of successful
communities that cannot be ignored.”
The community park can be the heart of the community and a major reason
why people choose where they live.
What’s New
•
Demand has increased for year-round recreational
opportunities that provide variety, address health and
wellness objectives, and fit into people’s busy
schedules.
•
New Municipal Community Centers
- Municipal
community recreation centers have been completed in
Plymouth and Upper Providence Townships. Similar
facilities are under construction in Montgomery and
Upper Merion Townships.
•
Municipal Swimming Pools
- Municipalities such as
Hatfield Township and Souderton and Lansdale
Boroughs have reinvented their community pools into
modern aquatic parks that are all-day destinations for
area residents.
•
Alternative Sports Activities
- Large new skate or
BMX parks in Pottstown and Upper Providence
Township are popular facilities. Smaller
skateboarding areas have been added to parks in
Ambler and Abington and Cheltenham Townships and
to the Boys & Girls Club in Souderton. Outdoor
adventure-based activities have emerged as a specialty
in Upper Salford Township at Spring Mountain
Adventures, which offers seasonal activities such as
skiing and snowboarding, zip line adventure tours, and
mountain biking.
•
YMCA as a Major Recreational Provider
- The
creation of a regional YMCA network has resulted in
full-service facilities that provide indoor recreation,
fitness, and indoor/outdoor aquatics at 8 locations
throughout the county. New facilities are proposed for
2 other locations in the county, and across county
boundaries, newly completed YMCAs in Phoenixville,
Havertown, and Doylestown are within easy reach of
portions of Montgomery County.
