March 12th, 2019 by WCBC Radio
Dee Dee Ritchie, executive director of the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority, was among those on hand last week in requesting hotel/motel funding for the proposed River Park Project. Plans are continuing for the project now officially known “River Park at Canal Place”. The plan is for a water attraction on the North Branch of the Potomac River for canoes and kayaking, with a viewing area and riverside walking track. RFP’s have been received for the design document, which the Authority hopes to have completed by the end of the year. That document will design all of the various steps to make the River Park happen — and also identify where the sources of funding can be obtained. She says that momentum is building for the tourism spot…
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March 12, 2019 at 12:02 pm, mac said:
Why continue to add features to Canal Place while the original venue seems to be languishing. There is very little to see and do there as they have raised grounds rental rates driving away the likes of the CASA fundraiser and the Wing Off and probably others. Parking is limited to a paid lot and Dig Deep Brewery just never seems to be ready to open.
The Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority should concentrate on improving what is already there not starting over yet again.
March 14, 2019 at 10:56 am, LRH said:
Show us some progress with what you have before we throw more money at it. If I was “King’ for a day I would tell CP management their goal would be to have an “event” every weekend. By hook or by crook. I would not care if it was something grand or simply girl scouts selling cookies off a card table; but their jobs would depend on the facility being used by the community every weekend one way or another; and the measurement of their success in meeting the goal starts NOW. Enough talk, enough wasted money.
March 15, 2019 at 2:24 am, E Broadwater said:
I think the river park will be a wonderful addition to our area. It will be a great attraction that can benefit the community in so many ways. One way may be to keep the bicyclists who are traveling through on the Great Allegany Passage/C&O canal to make Cumberland an overnight stop to enjoy the restaurants, hotels and river park. Another way is to promote a more active lifestyle opportunity for our own residents. Cumberland is unique in that is is the center of the two trails which makes it a perfect spot to highlight. This can be a great thing Cumberland!
March 15, 2019 at 2:06 pm, mac said:
This just in; it seems that the CASA fundraiser will be at Canal Place this year, after one year at Ali Ghan Shrine. I had read some time back that they chose to move rather than pay higher rental fees. I hope that this is a trend.