Spring has arrived in Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Area Recreational Authority (GARA) will be hosting many of its activities on their campus over the next few months, as reported at the April GARA board meeting. March and April have already seen the Church of Brethren Easter Dinner, bloodmobiles, dog classes, Black History Month Club, the Best After School Easter Egg Hunt, Soccer Shots and Girl Scouts activities, as well as a successful Opening Day for the Little League on April 15th. Some of the major activities coming up over the next few weeks include:
April 22, 2023: The Focus Foundation Expo will be on site from 11 am to 3 pm, offering food trucks, live music, vendors, and community group information. The expo is intended to highlight the foundation’s outreach work dedicated to helping adults with autism and their families, from assisting with resources, services to providing life skill classes (Celebrate Success – Gettysburg Rec Park).
April 22, 2023: GARA staff will participate in the Hallowed Grounds statewide cemetery cleanup at Lincoln Cemetery in Gettysburg, from 10:00 to 4:00 pm. Volunteers are still encouraged to join this effort (Statewide Cemetery Cleanup 2023 – Gettysburg Lincoln Cemetery).
April 23, 2023: A five-week series conducted by the Healthy Kids Running organization will begin at Gettysburg Rec Park. The series is intended to help motivate kids to lead a healthy and active lifestyle via a variety of running activities (Healthy Kids Running – Gettysburg).
April 29, 2023: Adams County Farmers Market will have its long-awaited opening day at its new location at the Gettysburg Rec Park. There will be plenty of parking and a variety of familiar and new vendors (https://www.acfarmersmarkets.org).
“It is really exciting to see GARA host so many diverse activities besides just sports events,” chairman Steve Neibler noted.
Board members gave updates on ongoing projects we have previously reported on, including:
Skate Park Improvements: The first open planning meeting was well attended and community members presented concrete suggestions and next steps for the planning. A Get Out and Skate Day is scheduled for June 21, 2023, at which time the planners will have mock-ups ready and begin their fundraising efforts.
The Sunday Concert Series has been fully planned out and will begin in June. In addition to compensating the performing artists, GARA will also be open to donations at these events to help fix the amphitheater.
The Library Story Board pieces have arrived at GARA and will be installed along the paths over the next few months, with the help of the local Boy Scouts.
HABPI easement: The MOU has been drafted and is still being reviewed by all parties involved.
The amphitheater roof repair work has been completed.
Additional reports:
GARA has been working with the Borough Code Enforcement unit to assist with resolving issues at the Dog Park stemming from incidents involving aggressive dogs and unleashed dogs outside of the park.
GARA was approached by Aaron Zipp, a Highland Games coach, to evaluate bringing some Highland Games events to Gettysburg. The board will evaluate the request upon receiving more information.
Gettysburg’s rec park has become a popular location for tour buses and school bus riders to use for lunch stops. There have been times when GARA had to limit space requests for lunch break usage.
Erin Pedigree, GARA’s Executive Director, attended a Growing Outdoor Recreation Stakeholder Meeting hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), in conjunction with the recently created Office of Outdoor Recreation in Harrisburg. The meeting highlighted the importance of recreation, which is reported as a billion-dollar industry and the sixth largest industry in Pennsylvania.
The next GARA board meeting will take place on May 15, 2023. See also: https://www.gara-recpark.info/meetings-and-holidays.
Donate Gardner is a freelance writer and journalist who came to Gettysburg from Montgomery County, Maryland. A former linguist-turned-legal professional, Donate recently retired and is eager to support her new community in a variety of ways. She currently serves as the news communicator for the Adams County migrant outreach program, Pasa La Voz and supports various pro bono legal services to migrants in the area.
An immigrant born, raised, and educated in Western Europe, Donate uses her multi-lingual background to maintain connection to other cultures, both as a writer, historical researcher and advocate.
Donate is also an active musician, multi-instrumentalist and award-winning songwriter, enjoying the rich music and arts community in Gettysburg, and supporting traveling musicians coming through the area. Donate can be reached at: dvbgardner@gmail.com.