Centre Region Parks and Recreation is celebrating its 50th anniversary. There are 54 parks in the system and one is truly a hidden gem.

Millbrook Marsh Nature Center offers romantic moonlight walks and a place for kids to explore and for many it is a great escape.

“My staff and I were just on a bird walk and we saw 30 species, snakes, turtles, frogs, muskrats,” said Melissa Freed, Park Manager.

If you like the outdoors, Freed will make you jealous. The 62 beautiful acres serves as her office.

“It is a very unique habitat so it provides a lot of benefits to wildlife,” explained Freed.

Tucked near Spring Creek, this old farm is not far from the parking lots of Beaver Stadium. It is owned by Penn State, but leased to the Centre Parks and Recreation for one dollar a year.

“It’s been just a wonderful cooperation with the community to see this develop over 19 and a half years,” said Ronald Woodhead, Parks’ Director.

Millbrook Marsh is an aquatic gem and Woodhead takes a lot of pride in showing it to visitors.

One thing that makes it unique is the extensive network of trails and boardwalks that takes visitors right into the marsh.  Grant money and donations made it all possible, but it was not easy.

“In this particular bridge there is no concrete piers so what engineers did is turn giant augers into the ground and that was the foundation rather than digging out concrete piers like in a typical bridge. Even though doesn’t look like much now it was quite a project,” shared Woodhead.

Millbrook Marsh hosts school field trips and entertains children at summer camps.  The education opportunities is just one reason why the park was named DCNR’s Green Park of the Year for 2016.

Woodhead said the design and layout of the facilities also played a large role.  The education center, which can also host birthday parties and other events, is LEED Certified.  There is an old barn built in the 1880’s that is now a popular spot for weddings.

So many people have been drawn to Millbrook Marsh that is has also become a sacred place. There are now more than 400 remembrance trees.

Woodhead plans to retire this summer and he said this part is a true highlight of his career.

“The thing that brings the most job to me are the smiles that I’m able to see at the pools and the parks. It’s good to know we have made a difference in people’s lives and we help make this a great place to live. That’s what it’s all about.”

For a closer look at what makes Millbrook Marsh so special join WTAJ-TV as we go On The Road, Monday June 27th at 11 p.m.