Investment: Funding to improve state parks is worth it
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West Virginia's state parks and forests are among the greatest treasures we have. Visitors come from all over the world to explore them, and those of us who sometimes take them for granted manage to get out and enjoy them once in a while, too.
But they need a little love -- in the form of cash to fund repairs and improvements that are long overdue. To that end, more than $19 million -- $10 million in projects through the West Virginia State Parks Endowment Fund Board and $9.725 million from the FY27 budget surplus -- will be used to "modernize, repair and expand facilities across West Virginia's state parks, forests and outdoor recreation areas," according to the governor's office.
"When people visit West Virginia, they spend money in our communities, support our small businesses, and experience firsthand why this is such a great place to live, work, raise a family, and visit. We want to give them even more reasons to come back," Gov. Patrick Morrisey said, in the announcement.
This round will cover projects ranging from statewide wastewater repairs and paving to specific efforts in Little Beaver, Pipestem Resort and Cass Scenic Railroad, Twin Falls, Chief Logan, Canaan Valley, Cacapon Resort and Hawks Nest.
Mid-Ohio Valley residents will be glad to hear there will be $300,000 coming to replace Blennerhassett State Park's service barge and tugboat.
Millions of visitors to our state parks support tens of thousands of jobs and have an enormous impact on our state's economy. It makes sense to be spending a little money to make sure those places are everything our guests should expect.
But the backlog of work in our parks is still a challenge, and if Morrisey is serious about "building on our momentum" regarding the effort to address it, he and lawmakers will have to add it to the list of priorities -- somewhere behind healthcare, education, infrastructure ... there is STILL so much work to do. But our people -- and our parks -- are worth it.