The city of Bradford has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for rehabilitation of Callahan Park.
Sara Andrews, interim executive director of the Bradford Office of Economic and Community Development (OECD), said, “We are pleased to be awarded the grant from DCNR for Phase 2 improvements in Callahan Park. Callahan Park is a wonderful recreational asset to our community and we have been working on improvements and upgrades to the park for the past several years.”
Phase 1 improvements totaling $1.4 million were completed this past year on the park’s east side. Phase 2 will upgrade the park’s west side, including replacement of the existing picnic shelter with two new picnic shelters; reconstruction of the parking lot; replacement of the sidewalk between the two pedestrian bridges and the addition of a new sidewalk that will connect to the new picnic shelter and the new restroom facility.
Other amenities will include a new park entrance sign on Poplin Avenue, new water fountains, picnic grills, trash receptacles and benches.
Andrews explained this round of DCNR funding will complement city Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant from McKean County and grants from the Neighborhood Partnership Program and the PA Parks & Recreation Society, along with a private donation.
“We are looking forward to construction beginning in 2025,” she said.
Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, who announced the funding this week, said, “This park is such an asset to our nearby schools and child care centers, but it really provides recreational opportunities for people of all ages. I am pleased to see this significant investment into one of our local parks.”
Callahan Park is an approximately 28-acre park within walking distance of the Bradford Area High School, School Street Elementary School and Bradford Regional Medical Center. Park amenities include an indoor ice rink, two pools and a pool house, a splash park, a playground, three basketball courts, two tennis courts that include four pickleball courts, and three baseball fields. There are two pavilions within the park that can be rented for celebrations or special events.
The grant was awarded through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, which is administered by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and supported by a variety of state and federal funding sources.
