RIVER ROOTS REDEVELOPMENT

River Roots is a community revitalization program focused on effectively empowering and reawakening hope in the AC Valley community and surrounding Oil Heritage Region.

As a building-block program, River Roots starts with partnerships and seed funding from individuals, organizations, and agencies with similar visions and missions, and builds toward lasting community resilience piece by piece.

PROJECT Goals

The life-changing projects in brownfield remediation and redevelopment have the potential to create new jobs and job-training pathways in hospitality, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, conservation, green industry, and regenerative agriculture.

To date, River Roots has closely cultivated partnerships between local organizations, institutions, and social services providers, laying the groundwork for equitable access to opportunities for a healthier, more fulfilled quality of life and sense of community ownership for all residents.

By focusing on improving and supporting outdoor amenity, organizational connectivity, and social support, in additional to the availability of purposeful work and beautiful surroundings, and the small town warmth, River Roots believes that residents will choose to put down roots in the Valley.

A Region for River and Land Adventures

Nestled deep within the foothills of the majestic Allegheny Mountains of western Pennsylvania, along the beautiful Allegheny and Clarion Rivers, and at the intersection of Venango, Clarion and Armstrong Counties, lay the towns of Emlenton, Foxburg, and the City of Parker, Pennsylvania, waiting to be discovered.

The Allegheny-Clarion River Valley Region- a nature—based place is easily accessible from Interstate 80 and is a lush area for the outdoor enthusiast with its many and varied recreational offerings that attract new residents and engage visitors. Here the adventurer can access miles of recreational trails both by land and water as well as enjoy exceptional hunting and fishing opportunities.

As a tourist destination, the Allegheny-Clarion River Valley Region offers hospitality and amenities for the day traveler and overnight adventure seeker. Our region offers significant historic sites that reflect our heritage. Lodging, restaurants, shopping, creative and vibrant arts, cultural events and festivals with a family-friendly atmosphere within a Norman Rockwell like setting are also attracting more attention from those considering an alternative to metropolitan living or a second home.

Close proximity to Pittsburgh, Erie, Cleveland and beyond our regional offerings include expanded opportunities for entrepreneurial and home-based recreational—related businesses, and real estate investors’ businesses. Tele-commuters, who thirst for big-city life during the week, but crave the quiet life on the weekends, find our region to be the perfect balance of both worlds that meets and surpasses their needs.

Honoring the past and embracing the future of our region are the ideals driving Emlenton, Foxburg and Parker in becoming the region’s best-known destination for raising a family that has quality education, for establishing and building a business or simply enjoying a great vacation. We invite you to make our region your region!