The improvements will total more than $500,000. Additional funding for the project will come from private donors and Lycoming County Act 13 Legacy Funds from state impact fees.

“We’re excited for the groundbreaking today of what we’ve termed our gateway project at Rider park,” said FCFP Chief Financial Officer Steve Simms.

“It’s going to be a great upgrade to the park,” he said. “There’ll be stone pillars and a new gate, and as you enter the park, the road’s going to be widened and there will be a loop that will promote one way traffic.”

“It’s going to be a lot more user-friendly for folks using the park and also for buses,” Simms said, noting that the park is looking to improve educational summer programs for area students.

Members of First Community Foundation and local officials hold a ground breaking to celebrate new improvements to the park scheduled to begin in early Summer. Improvements include new pavilion, information kiosk, rain gardens, expanded parking and turn around loop as well as a new entrance gateway to the park. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Additionally, the project will see the creation of 31 new parking spaces, as well as upgrades to existing spaces.

A pavilion and picnic area will feature within the loop, and two new interpretive kiosks will be added to the park.

One of the kiosks will be dedicated to spreading the word of what the DCNR does and its contributions to the park, while the other will have upcoming events posted, according to Sara Street, Rider Park manager.

The signs will be designed by Moretown Timbers & Beams, out of Benton.

“I’d like to thank everyone here today who’s been a part of this project and made it possible,” Simms said, including Larson Design, which was awarded the contract for the project.

Additional thanks were offered to J. Alexander, Bob and Kathy Walker, and to Cindy Bower and her late husband, Jim, as well as the Lycoming County commissioners, of whom Marc Sortman was in attendance.

“Their giving does not start and end at the gate of Rider Park. Truly, on behalf of all of our community, we appreciate that,” Simms said.

“The vision of this park from Thomas Rider was to promote connection with nature through reflection, through recreation and through education, and we really think that this project, it really brings that up,” he said.

Those interested in the progress of the project can follow along on the park’s social media, Simms said.

The park was gifted by the late Thomas J. Rider, who wanted to share his love of outdoor recreation with the community, according to a press release from the FCFP.

It is now owned and operated by the organization, and features “10 miles of beautiful trails leading through woodland and meadows,” lending itself to a variety of high and low impact activities, including hiking, trail running, mountain biking and cross-country skiing, the press release said.

The improvements are expected to take roughly six weeks to complete. Limited park closures will be posted on FCFP’s social media and website, a press release on the project said.