NEWS RELEASES
West Virginia County Will Reclaim Park
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved and first published through The Register-Herald's website.
The Register-Herald in Beckley, WV, reports that Raleigh County in West Virginia is prepared to take over the operation of Little Beaver State Park this spring. The Raleigh County Commission has reached a verbal agreement with officials from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) that will provide for the transfer of the park, following the completion of deferred maintenance and necessary upgrades by the state. The county deeded the 562-acre park, with its 18-acre lake and 20 miles of trails, to DNR in the late 1960s, but decided to reclaim the property when the state failed to properly maintain the lake’s dam.
The agreement calls for the state to drain the lake by 8 to 10 feet this year so crews can place a membrane across the lake's 500-foot Class 1 Dam, now 80 years old, to stop leaks and replace an outdated valve in place since 1935. Over the next several years, the county plans to revive the beach and swimming area, to upgrade picnic shelters and to improve existing campsites with sewer, power and water service. Currently, only 29 of the park’s 45 campsites have water and electricity access. As a county park, Little Beaver would not be subject to the state regulation that bans RV camping for more than a week, a policy that cuts down on campground profitability and limits tourism income in the surrounding community.
For additional information, visit the Little Beaver State Park website.
Camping, Funding, News, Open Road, State Parks, West Virginia