(York) -- A grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is expected to update the equipment at one midstate park in addition to making it more environmentally-friendly. The department has awarded a $300,000 matching grant to Bring On Play, a community organization that's working to improve Penn Park in the city of York. Group chair Cori Strathmeyer says the organization wants to commemorate the history of the park, which William Penn named after himself in the 18th century. "It's been used an awful lot with some of the different wars, the Revolutionary War, there was an encampment during the War of 1812, it was used. It was a military hospital during the Civil War," she says. "So we're planning to also tie in the history into the design of the playground area. We want to put in some history walls." Strathmeyer says the group plans to construct a so-called "splash pad" that will help cool off visitors during the warm summer months. She adds volunteers will also build a playground for older kids as well as a play area designed for toddlers by September of this year.