KULPMONT, Pa. — Veterans Memorial Park in Kulpmont has come a long way over the years. The Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance has done a lot of renovations there. Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection toured the park on Wednesday and announced some grant money. As part of the Environmental Education Grants program, the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance was awarded nearly $3,000. The group will build a new restroom facility.
"That bathroom facility will have rainwater flushing toilets and solar power. We will also have a rain guard to catch anything we don't flush the toilets with. It will be held in the rain guard to promote the environment," said Stephen Motyka, the group's vice president.
Motyka says this project will incorporate high school students who will help build the facility and learn about the aspects behind green building.
Hundreds of students have participated in environmental education programs with the Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance.
"Incorporates not only environmental progress and environmental action projects for the students to do to improve the waterways and water quality in the Shamokin Creek, but also to talk about and get them exposed to the history," said Bert Myers, DEP director of environmental education.
The group has been making upgrades to this park for years, and it's been doing so by utilizing this grant. Motyka says the group has been applying for grants through DEP since 2015.
"Previous years, we've focused on the creek bed and trying to bring vegetation back to the creek bed."
DEP has been giving out these grants for nearly 40 years and has funded more than 2,000 projects.
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