Pittsburgh, Pa. – October 12, 2020 – The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy is seeking grant applicants for its Canoe Access Development Fund, which supports projects that will improve canoe and kayak access to the region’s waterways.
Founded in 2008 by WPC donors and outdoor enthusiasts Roy Weil and Mary Shaw, WPC’s Canoe Access Development Fund provides grants to watershed organizations and other community groups to make the region’s rivers and streams more accessible for outdoor recreation by developing and improving access sites for canoeists, kayakers and anglers. Currently, 81 CADF-supported projects are completed and open to the public along 34 different waterways in 20 counties.
New access sites proposed for grant funding should be located along a stream or river featured in Weil and Shaw’s “Canoeing Guide to Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia” or a similar resource, or be recognized as a paddling waterway in Western Pennsylvania.
Kelly Williams, watershed specialist with the Clearfield County Conservation District, said her organization received funding from WPC to construct an access to Chest Creek in Westover in 2020.
“The application process was simple, funds were awarded quickly and staff were always available if I had a question or concern,” Kelly said, adding. “I hope an increase in recreational activities on the creek will lead to more visitors to the Westover area and a greater appreciation of all Clearfield County waterways.”
Qualified grant recipients will receive up to $4,000 per site for the construction and enhancement of canoe and kayak access locations. Grant funding could be used to stabilize access areas to rivers or streams, add nearby parking areas, purchase riverside access or for other improvements.
A downloadable application, including a complete list of requirements, is available beginning Oct. 12. Applications must be postmarked by Nov. 13, 2020, and grant recipients will be notified by Dec. 11, 2020.
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About the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy:
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy (WPC) enhances the region by protecting and restoring exceptional places. A private nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1932, WPC has helped to establish 11 state parks, conserved more than a quarter million acres of natural lands and protected or restored more than 3,000 miles of rivers and streams. The Conservancy owns and operates Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, now on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which symbolizes people living in harmony with nature. In addition, WPC enriches our region’s cities and towns through 132 community gardens and other green spaces that are planted with the help of more than 11,000 volunteers. The work of WPC is accomplished through the support of more than 9,000 members. For more information, visit WaterLandLife.org or Fallingwater.org.
Media Contact:
Carmen Bray
Director of Communications
412-586-2358
cbray@paconserve.org