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Canal Place Votes Unanimously to Approve River Park

May 27th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

The Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority on Tuesday voted unanimously to approve the River Park  plan- the latest step toward revitalizing the river area behind Canal Place into a major tourist attraction for the region. The River Park at Canal Place will be located on the North Branch  of the Potomac River near Canal Place with features to include two access points for boaters, a whitewater course, riverside trail, viewing area, parking and a fish passage ladder. Jim Christie, landscape designer with Civil & Environmental Consultants, said the attraction can work with or without the presence of the industrial dam located under the blue bridge between Maryland and West Virginia- however latest talked have centered on removing the dam. The River Park would be constructed in three phases and can be completed incrementally…

26 Responses to “Canal Place Votes Unanimously to Approve River Park”

  1. May 27, 2020 at 7:50 am, jim said:

    Everyone is going to be operating out of a financial deficit but let’s spend money building a water park. “Major tourist attraction” lol. Likely less so than the scenic railroad which is no cash cow.

    Reply

  2. May 27, 2020 at 8:53 am, Paola Primavera said:

    It seems to me these articles are abbreviated more and more as time goes by eliminating more and more names of those responsible and making decisions. I’m glad to see they are still naming the contractors and planners that we will be paying the big bucks to for their Great Design Ideas and Works.

    Hey Allegany County Residents: Why don’t we get SMART and VOTE INTO OFFICE some good old financial responsible individuals that will treat our taxpayers money like it was their own and help get Allegany County back on the positive side of the ledger and be a bit more frugal with all these BIG Plans that Crashp, Burn, and DO NOT EVER HAPPEN OR MATERIALIZE!

    YOUR ONE VOTE ADDS UP AND MAKES A DIFFERENCE. Try it and you’ll like it, I’m sure.

    Reply

    • May 27, 2020 at 11:35 am, Kevin said:

      > Are any Democrats even running? This is the GOP at work – blowing up money for little return to the taxpayer and middling low wage tourist / seasonal work, mainly for out of area vendors. Years of Republicans policy has brought us to this point.

      Reply

  3. May 27, 2020 at 11:00 am, LRH said:

    Let’s finish ONE thing we started before embarking on six others.

    Reply

    • May 27, 2020 at 11:04 am, Ken said:

      That is not the CEDC Kelly and Miller way! Tear the whole town apart without full funding and then move onto the next project of destruction.

      Reply

  4. May 27, 2020 at 12:50 pm, Rivergirl said:

    Yay Cumberland for forward thinking!!! We have something that is unique and an incredible diamond in the rough asset. The beautiful Potomac River and the trail! This is a key attraction that attracts the best kind of tourism and with our proximity to urban areas we could market ourselves as one of the last bastions of recreation and relaxation based upon our natural feature. Look at some of these towns mentioned : https://www.fodors.com/news/trip-ideas/americas-10-best-river-towns. Why not Cumberland on this list? How great will it be to have young career people want to move here to be able to enjoy these activities? Enjoying the outdoors is what many families want for their children and themselves. If we don’t want to decay away we need to think fresh ideas for a better future and not look where we have been. Anyone who runs rivers knows that where your eyes goes goes your boat, so again fantastic leadership. Now keep looking to the future and fix our dismal internet so we can offer jobs to the people who would work here if the infrastructure supported work from home. We have a lot of properties that could offer themselves for renovation too if Cumberland becomes the refreshed Queen City.

    Reply

    • May 27, 2020 at 2:16 pm, Mark said:

      > Other than ‘fix our dismal internet ‘ your post was hilarious. Smokin the good stuff? (btw, our corrupt city leaders are bribed with a ‘license fee’ pay off, so forget us ever having an affordable high speed internet. And even IF the Corp of Engineers signed off on dumping rocks into the ‘flood control’, the first high water would wash the whole dumb idea away. But yea, let’s waste MILLIONS more on local stupidity.

      Reply

  5. May 27, 2020 at 3:00 pm, mac said:

    Rivergirl sounds as if she’s on the City payroll to be flogging that pie in the sky vision of the glorious future that we will not have in this area.
    How she can equate some lame tourist trap with the influx of young professionals and a ‘refreshed Queen City’ is beyond me.
    If the river park is actually built it will be a day trip visit for bored tourists not wanting to drive all the way to Deep Creek. They’ll paddle around for an hour or two, pack up and head some place else.
    It’s the same complaint, this is only a blessing for the restaurants and bars. There will be no new long term employment for locals, only part time minimum wage jobs catering to tourists, for 6 months of the year. Then it’s back on unemployment.

    Reply

    • May 27, 2020 at 7:15 pm, Kevin said:

      > Exactly!

      Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 3:02 pm, Lav said:

      > The river park is not a City project. In case you didn’t know, the C&O Canal, and Canal Place, are run by Park Authority. Sure, they sit in the City, but so does the County Board of Ed, the County Court House, and the County Office Complex. Get your facts straight before condemning something, please.

      Reply

  6. May 27, 2020 at 8:12 pm, Western Wes said:

    > Actually, Thousands of whitewater paddlers pass through Cumberland on their way to kayak some of the best whitewater destinations in the east, they will most certainly stop in Cumberland on their way to or from those destinations to kayak, eat at our local restaurants and enjoy our local breweries. Towns all over the country have created whitewater parks and river trails, they have done well from it. Do some things need to change in Cumberland for this to come to fruition? YES… Is this out of the question? NO. It’s not necessarily about only local bars and restaurants but it’s about building a community where people want to come to visit. They will spend money in other areas too.
    Yep, I’m smoking the “good stuff”! I also live locally, hold down a great job, and own a home. Personally I think this is a great idea and when it does happen, the same old folks will be sitting at home, complaining about the same tired things they’ve been whining about for the past 30 years.
    – See you on the river…

    Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 6:41 am, mac said:

      > Western Wes, you are making the same tired points that others have made about the shiny future of Cumberland.
      By your own admission all of the monies generated by this park will go to businesses catering to tourists. Where else does a visitor spend money? Do they stop off and purchase a new auto or homeowners insurance policy? Do they spend time at the Optometrist for an exam and new contacts? Those and other businesses will never see Dollar 1 from those people.
      You also state that you have a great job and own a home, good for you.
      Would you recommend your son or daughter pursue a career working at the river park when looking for full-time employment? Of course not. Those are Mcjobs,burger flipping without the greasy uniforms.
      I used to mention that I have no problem with these types of businesses opening around here but they are not a replacement for the type of great job that allowed you to buy your home. Your kids will never be able to do the same working at the river park.
      We same old folks keep making the same complaints as the same schemes have been popping up for those 30 years.

      Reply

      • May 28, 2020 at 7:48 am, Western Wes said:

        Mac, I understand your points and respect your opinion. Honestly, if we knew each other, we would likely have a great conversation about this.
        The reason I make those same tired points mainly because I believe things can change. Tourism helps build a culture that attracts people to new towns, it’s a building block that will eventually lead to other blocks falling in place. Given the current state of things and the rise of people working from home full time, it makes it easier to relocate. I’d like to see Cumberland have a shot at becoming the next Ashville NC or Boulder CO, it won’t be an easy task, but anything is possible, and This is a step in the right direction. What do we have to lose?
        I love Cumberland, I’ve been here all my life, it has many flaws but there is also a lot of good. Some days I do find myself wondering WTH is happening here but most days I see the great things happening around me. What I’d really like to see is our local leaders come together to share ideas and work together to make things like the River Park happen. IMO that is the biggest challenge.
        Young people working at the River Park would be a great opportunity for them. Sure, it likely wouldn’t be a full-time career move but what it will do is teach them about leadership which helps to build confidence and new skills for their future. It’s a conversation starter, it looks good on job applications and resumes. Assuming they are learning to kayak as part of the job, and I mean kayak not just throw a cooler full of beer in your boat and “float” is very challenging, it requires focus and discipline. If they can learn those skills, they can go on to succeed in other things in life. Kayaking alone won’t land a job at a tech firm or as a DR or lawyer but with the foundation they’ve built by learning to Kayak, it will give them the base of confidence needed to pursue other career goals. It’s relatable in more ways than it would seem on the surface.

        Reply

  7. May 28, 2020 at 10:09 am, mac said:

    I was just going to leave that last comment unanswered but it irritated me too much to let pass.
    1st. You and River Girl are either a couple or
    the same person commenting under 2
    different names.
    2nd. Your enthusiasm has the ring of PR hype,
    as in the PR firm paid by the City.
    3rd. Your equating Kayaking with some kind of
    Zen enlightenment with profound
    ramifications to be applied as a life
    lesson in the future is just so much
    nonsense. It’s paddling around in a boat!

    Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 10:25 am, Mark said:

      > I get the same impression- ‘rivergirl’ & ‘Wes’ sound like paid hacks/’consultants’ shoveling the same old tired bullsh-t we’ve been hearing for years. I’m sure the corrupt city leaders will skim off lots of tax dollars working with these thieving clowns. Seen this show before.

      Reply

      • May 28, 2020 at 10:26 am, Mark said:

        > Their crap was good for a laugh though, gotta give them that!

        Reply

        • May 28, 2020 at 10:31 am, mac said:

          > Kayak to cleanse your soul, recharge your chi, and help you center yourself.
          Ohhhhhmmmm!

          Reply

          • May 28, 2020 at 12:41 pm, Mark said:

            > Lmao

      • May 28, 2020 at 3:04 pm, Lav said:

        > Again, the River Park is NOT a Cumberland City project – check your facts!

        Reply

        • May 28, 2020 at 4:32 pm, Mark said:

          > Fair enough, but don’t fear, the city ‘leaders’ will angle their way to get a cut. Rest assured.

          Reply

  8. May 28, 2020 at 11:05 am, Western Wes said:

    1. I have no clue who river girl is but I share her enthusiasm and agree with her. People are allowed to agree on WCBC right?

    2. I can assure you my comments are 100% real and that I don’t work for the city or some PR firm, those are jobs I’d ever want. My “crap” is 100% honest and my enthusiasm is real. People like us do exist, not sure why that’s so hard to understand. Obviously I’m barking up the wrong tree on this forum.

    3. No need for me to explain any further. If you don’t get it, you just don’t get it and obviously don’t want to understand.

    Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 12:42 pm, mac said:

      > Western Wes, first of all I want to say that I bear you no ill will. I don’t know you and I will take you at your word concerning your enthusiasm for this proposed project.
      Having said that I have to say that your excitement and the excitement of others like you is what allows the DDC and the CEDC to get projects like the river park started. You’ll notice I say started as Canal Place is there but underutilized. The WMSR is limping along with no foreseeable turn around in the future. The Baltimore St. project has once again been delayed mainly for a lack of money. Rolling Mill has come to a standstill with no real plan for any workable future.
      Right now with 4 projects started they want to start another. Wouldn’t it be more prudent to complete at least one thing before moving along with yet another?
      It’s for this reason that I chuckle to myself when I read about Cumberland’s bright future.

      Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 12:54 pm, Mark said:

      > Oh we ‘get’ it alright, just like we saw what a great success Canal Place is. And the downtown mall,the Nicholas golf course & the Great Rolling Mill attraction and so on. Kudos to you & your enthusiasm though but some of us think the area needs a LOT more than a few ‘rapids’ & a handful of part time min. wage crap jobs. But this is the new economy and it’s made us realists, not jaded. Not just Cumberland, but many rural areas are going to be left FURTHER behind and NONE of those running our corrupt system give a damn for anything but lining their OWN pockets. May as well get use to it. Or like many have, MOVED away!

      Reply

      • May 28, 2020 at 12:56 pm, Mark said:

        > p.s. give it time & you too will be as cynical! lol

        Reply

  9. May 28, 2020 at 2:17 pm, mac said:

    Hopefully he won’t become as cynical, as say, you or I. But then again he won’t become a realist either.

    Reply

    • May 28, 2020 at 4:30 pm, Mark said:

      > True that.

      Reply

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