After 20 years of wear and tear, the playground at the Barshinger Complex on Accomac Road in Hellam needed a makeover. Thanks to grants from the Powder Mill Foundation and York County, Eastern York Recreation Authority (EYRA) has been able to rebuild the playground, which opened in June.

"The new playground is ADA accessible, with a transfer station to allow access for all abilities," said Jessica Cirilo, parks and recreation director. "It's designed for ages 12 and under, and it's open the same time as the complex - 8 a.m. to dusk."

The original playground equipment was installed as an Eagle Scout project in 1999. Cirilo noted that the new space was made possible thanks to community donations in addition to the grants, which only covered about half of the cost of the project. "Taking care of existing facilities and improving what we have is a priority," Cirilo stated. "Seeing the wear and tear of this popular site, updating this play space became a priority."

EYRA began in 2019, established by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The organization coordinates youth sports formerly offered by Hellam Recreation Commission and is a 501(c)(3) municipal authority with Hallam Borough, Hellam Township and Lower Windsor Township contributing to EYRA's mission. EYRA provides baseball, softball and soccer programs, with youth basketball coming this fall. Most of the programs are open to youths ages 4 to 18.

"The idea behind EYRA is to be a one-stop shop for youth sports," Cirilo shared, noting that the organization relies heavily on volunteers and community donations.

"We don't own any of the properties we use," she explained. "The property owners let us use them, and we maintain them." The cost of maintenance is high, with the biggest expenses coming from lawn mowing and field upkeep. "The cost of dirt to groom a field is thousands of dollars," Cirilo emphasized.

Participation in EYRA programs is up in every sport, she stated, adding, "Our baseball participation has tripled since 2019." Looking ahead, EYRA is considering adding lacrosse and expanding its adult programming.

Although EYRA has only existed for four years, youth recreational sports in the region date back much further. Recently, Cirilo received a donation from Joel and Aletha Groff of Hellam, who presented a collection of softball items dating back to the mid-1970s. "Aletha was the original president of Hellam Softball and started a league for 13- to 15-year-old girls, with three teams in the league, in 1972," Cirilo remarked. The couple donated more than a dozen trophies as well as newspaper articles about the league. Although the items are currently stored in Cirilo's office, she has set a goal to have display cases for them as well as other honors earned from all youth sport achievements over the years. "The location for this is to be determined, but I would love a display case donation," she stated.

EYRA programs are offered to everyone, whether they live locally or not. Residents living in Hallam Borough, Hellam Township and Lower Windsor Township receive a discounted rate on the programs.

For more information on EYRA, visit http://www.easternyorkrec.com or email eyrecauthority@gmail.com.