After about a year, the sports complex in Graham Park has a new name, UPMC Passavant Sportsplex at Graham Park.

CRANBERRY TWP — After roughly a year, the sports complex in Graham Park has a new sponsor.

Cranberry Township manager Dan Santoro announced that UPMC signed an agreement to sponsor the sprawling assortment of sporting fields, which will give it the new name, UPMC Passavant Sportsplex at Graham Park.

The sportsplex — which contains 13 lighted soccer, football, lacrosse and baseball fields; three fitness stations; a dek hockey rink; and various other amenities such as pickleball, tennis, basketball, horseshoe and bocce courts — previously was sponsored by a sporting goods retailer, but the sponsorship agreement had expired, Santoro said.

Santoro said he was “really excited” by the new sponsorship, and praised the township staff for working to obtain it.

The township on Thursday also proclaimed July 16, 2021, to be Parks and Recreation Professionals Day.Cranberry made that move after the state Recreation & Park Society, for the third time, asked communities to declare the third Friday of July as the day for recognizing the accomplishments of recreation professionals.Santoro said parks and recreation professionals will celebrate in Cranberry and “requested to come to Cranberry during our Community Days.” The township's proclamation outlines the health and wellness benefits of outdoor parks and recreation.“In our community, from COVID-19 and all the craziness, one thing that was constant was recreation in our community,” supervisor Mike Manipole said. “It's really nice and an honor to have this here in Cranberry.”

After about a year, the sports complex in Graham Park has a new sponsor.