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The Dauphin County Commissioners will introduce preliminary plans for a new 411-acre park that will sit along the base of Peter's Mountain in Middle Paxton Township Wednesday.
(Dauphin County)
The Dauphin County Commissioners will introduce preliminary plans for a new 411-acre park that will sit along the base of Peter's Mountain in Middle Paxton Township Wednesday.
Detweiler Park, located at 1451 Peter's Mountain Road, will be the biggest of the county's eight parks when it opens near the Dauphin County Conservation District building in late spring, according to the county's website.
The commissioners will discuss plans to gather input needed to develop a master plan for the park during a press conference at the county administration building in downtown Harrisburg at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
The property was owned by the Detweiler family, who formerly operated the Harrisburg Telegraph, WHP television and Stackpole Books.
The Detweiler's donated $897,500 to help the county buy the $2.4 million property. The county used an $887,500 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and $607,500 in gaming grant funds from Hollywood Casino to cover the remaining cost.
The park will include more than 9 miles of trails, and will feature gardens, fields, meadows, evergreen plantations and mature deciduous forests. Deer and a wide variety of birds, including turkey, hawks, woodpeckers and bluebirds are often scene in the wooded area.
Trails will be open daily from dawn to dusk.
In addition to the county commissioners, Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Director Carl Dickson, members of the Detweiler family and Joe Sherrick of Dauphin County Anglers and Conservationists will attend Wednesday's press conference.