Granville Launches Riverfront Project
Seeking permission for boat ramp, dock
Morgantown Dominion Post
7 September 2012
By Chelsea Fuller
The town of Granville asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for
permission to construct a boat launching ramp and public dock at
Granville Riverfront Park.
According to officials, the additions are part of Granville’s
plans to redevelop the area once occupied by the Arkwright coal
mine waterfront loading facility. Water quality certification has
also been requested from the state Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP).
A Sept. 4 public notice from the Army Corps of Engineers said the
boat ramp will be 20 feet wide and 50 feet long and consist of 62
cubic yards of crushed rock base and 62 cubic yards of concrete.
The floating dock will be built using existing mooring cells to
support the gangway, which will extend 90 feet from shore, and for
the dock that will extend 100 feet upstream from the gangway.
Granville Mayor Patricia Lewis said the boat ramp will be for
small motor crafts only. “This ramp won’t be for anything really
large. We are restricted in terms of size and depth of the water.
Small fishing boats, recreational boats, Skidoos, motor crafts
like that will be able to get in the water by using the ramp.”
Funding for the project will come from a portion of the town’s
hotel/motel tax, which requires half of Granville’s hotel/motel
revenue be given to the Morgantown Visitors Bureau, Lewis said.
“The initial estimate on the boat ramp a few years ago was
$100,000; that of course we will have engineered, we can’t do that
ourselves,” Lewis said. “We don’t have a price on the floating
dock yet because we are going to phase that part in.”
Over the next five years, Lewis said, the town will work to
improve Riverfront Park.
“We are planning to put down gravel in the parking lot to make it
more usable. We are going to install portable restrooms similar to
the ones at Dorsey’s Knob, and picnic tables,” she said. “Those
are the kinds of things we will do ourselves. Every year for five
years we will do something down there until it looks like we want
it to.”
The town has planned to add the launching ramp and floating dock
for several years, Lewis said, but various circumstances prevented
officials from moving forward with the project.
“We just didn’t have everything in order,” she said. “But now our
biggest hump will be getting the permit and getting through the
public comment portion.”
Granville Municipal Manager Ron Snyder said initial planning
meetings have taken place for the project, but at this time no
public hearings have been scheduled by the DEP.
“There will be public hearings later on down the road to allow
people the opportunity to comment, and they’ll be held by the
DEP,” Snyder said.
COMMENTS can be mailed to the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection, Division of Water and Waste Management
401 Certification Program, at 601 57th St. SE, Charleston, WV
25304.
All comments must be received by the DEP before the close of
business on Oct. 5 or they may not be considered, officials said.
Lewis said community members can also send comments to 319 Main
St., Granville, WV 26534. They will be forwarded to the DEP.