People and their pooches enjoy the sunshine during a walk to benefit cancer research at Zelienople Community Park last May. The 35 acre park features a walking trail, benches, ballfields, horseshoe pits, playground equipment and a pool.

The influx of families into southwestern Butler County in the past several years has presented a need for municipalities to consider their parks and recreation offerings. Here is what communities offer:

Cranberry TownshipCranberry Township offers extensive parks and recreation opportunities in several locations.The original park in the township is Cranberry Community Park on Ernie Mashuda Drive. While it has multiple picnic shelters, lighted tennis courts, a large climbing structure and other amenities, Community Park's unique feature is the Rotary Dog Park, where residents and their pets can exercise or play.North Boundary Park on North Boundary Road has the township swimming pool and water park. Other features there include a veterans memorial, sledding hill, shelters and the American Legion baseball field.Graham Park contains a multisport complex and the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania Field for special-needs athletes.

Middlesex TownshipMiddlesex Township has a large and well-used park at the same location as the township buildings.Scot Fodi, township manager, said officials are preparing a lot consolidation plan, which would eliminate the border between two adjoining parcels of park land. The plan is being prepared so future buildings will meet zoning requirements.Township supervisors bought the 9-acre parcel from several landowners in 1962 for $15,600. Today it contains the municipal building, township garage, tennis courts and baseball field.In 1978, the supervisors bought the adjoining 12 acres from the Glade Run United Presbyterian Church for $35,000. The walking trail installed a few years ago winds its way over that land.After the parcels are consolidated, plans can be drawn up for phase one of the comprehensive park plan, which was completed in the fall of 2007.Plans for the first phase include improved parking, an access road to the center of the park and playground improvements.Fodi said the park is used by youth football, youth baseball, girls softball and non-competitive sports leagues. He said the tennis court is used daily, and the net hasn't been taken down in two winters because the courts are heavily used year round.Middlesex also has an 18-acre natural area at the intersection of Leslie and Deer Creek roads. The land was donated to the township by the Lyon family, and under the agreement between the two parties, it can be used as a nature reserve or park.Fodi said according to the agreement, the township can build trails, roads and shelters as it sees fit. If the township abandons the land or uses it for a use other than that covered in the agreement, the property returns to the Lyon family.

Adams TownshipAdams Township opened its 103-acre park in 2000. The township supervisors bought the former Karl Wirth farm in 1997 under the stipulation that the property on Three Degree Road remain a park under municipal control.The township recently bought 30 more acres from the adjacent Porter property.Township officials are now in the bidding process to add a rectangular field, a baseball field and a pavilion on the former Porter property.The park has a 1.3-mile walking trail, playground, sand volleyball, gazebo, two baseball fields with scoreboards, and two T-ball fields.Three pavilions are available for rent.The park is the site for the township's Community Day.

ZelienopleFor a 2.2 square-mile borough with a population of 4,123, Zelienople boasts abundant park amenities for citizens of the region.Don Pepe, borough manager, said the 35-acre community park adjacent to Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School has a walking trail and park benches as well as baseball and softball, horseshoe pits, playground equipment and a pool."It's a multipurpose park," said Pepe.He said the park was once privately owned by a park board, but six years ago that board worked out an arrangement with the borough to assume ownership. The original park board still maintains the park in exchange for a $50,000 annual payment from the borough for upgrades and maintenance.Pepe said work on the parks infrastructure such as road resurfacing and drainage improvements began immediately. The borough also applied for a state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant to create a master plan for the park that would list specific plans for the park. The plan now is directing improvements and additions.Pepe said the plan has two components: plans for the park as a whole and plans for the swimming pool facility. He said borough leaders began trying to find a way to break even financially on operating the pool, which they did.A $70,000 state grant paid for new, handicapped-accessible bathrooms in the park, and an $80,000 state grant allowed upgrades at the pool that met requirements of the master park plan.This year, improvements slated for the pool include hot water for the showers, new lockers and other items."We've had three significant building projects over the last three years," said Pepe.He said the community took notice of the efforts at the park, and took it upon themselves to join in. The all-volunteer Friends of the Park was formed in 2007."They have done wonderful things," said Pepe.He said the group raises funds for items needed at the park, and paid for a $15,000 pool slide. It also donated funds for renovations at the park and now is focusing on raising money for playground equipment and to buy a heater for the pool so the facility's season can be extended.Pepe said the Zelienople Rotary Club also donated funds for a new shelter at the park, which members helped build.Pepe said the $4.5 million park master plan will be completed over a number of years.Zelienople also boasts what is known as the four-corner park at the intersection of Routes 68 and 19, where a small amount of acreage is on all four corners of that intersection.One corner has the popular and unique lion fountain and Santa's Workshop at Christmas. The four corners also are used for community festivals and the southwest corner contains the town's veteran's memorial.

<B>Mars</B>Another small borough with big park offerings is the 1-square-mile Mars. JoAnn Rogers, the councilwoman in charge of parks, said the borough has three parks that serve Mars and the surrounding region.Marburger Field, at the intersection of Arch and Hazel streets in the western part of the borough, is used by organizations, the Mars School District and residents alike.Marburger Field is used for baseball and football. Sports opportunities at the field include youth and adult baseball, women's softball, youth football and cheering, and Ultimate Frisbee.Facilities include a pavilion, concession stand and an announcer's booth for football and cheerleading, bleachers, bathrooms, batting cage, picnic tables and lights.Rogers said the youth and adult sports organizations contribute heavily to the upkeep and maintenance at Marburger Field and the other two parks."Borough council members are very grateful for the time and materials which the various sports organizations and businesses donate for park maintenance and improvements," said Rogers.Garfield Park on North Garfield Avenue has a large playground area with toddler and youth equipment. A basketball hoop, a T-ball field, bathroom, tables and a large grassy area complete Garfield Park.Clay Avenue Park contains the Sydney Bahney Memorial girls softball field, which is used primarily for practice and games by Mars girls' softball. The park also has a pavilion, concessions for softball games, playground equipment and picnic tables.The borough recently received a grant, which will be used to expand the playground and include equipment suitable for older children."Most of our residents are within walking distance of a park, which is a great advantage," said Rogers.<B>Seven Fields</B>Tiny Seven Fields even boasts park land for its residents to enjoy.Borough manager Tom Smith said the 10-acre town park on Castle Creek Drive includes a playground, swimming pool, baseball field and community center. The playground is being refurbished.Smith said borough council members recently allotted $150,000 to put kiosks, sidewalks and new playground equipment in the park.The athletic residents in Seven Fields can enjoy Northridge Park off Mars-Crider Road on the north side of Route 228. That park includes basketball courts, playground equipment, and a three-quarter mile walking trail with a bridge attained through a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant.The walking trail ends at a nature preserve that is maintained by borough volunteers, who plant flowers and generally preserve the pristine natural area.<B>Regional park plan</B>Even the Mars School District entered the parks and recreation realm by organizing a study to determine how parks and recreation needs and facilities throughout the district can be shared by all in the school district.The Mars Parks and Recreation Committee is working to determine whether a director should be hired to coordinate all parks and recreation in Mars, Valencia, and Adams and Middlesex townships within the school district.

<I>Tomorrow: Parks in the Southeast</I>

J.T. Tatko of New Brighton cools off in the spray at the water park in North Boundary Park in Cranberry Township last June.