Lewisburg plans expansion of park system
Jun. 1—The Lewisburg City Council is planning a significant expansion of the city park system.
At its regular meeting in May, the council approved the purchase of land for development of a new 30-acre riverside park. The land acquisition also includes another four acres for relocation of the Public Works Department's storage yard and water distribution headquarters, a relocation that will free up property on Feamster Road for a long-overdue expansion of the city's existing Dorie Miller Park.
The new acreage, which will be purchased from Morgan, Deitz and Dodd for $1.5 million, is adjacent to the city-owed regional water plant on the banks of the Greenbrier River near Caldwell.
City manager Misty Hill said she anticipates construction at the site to begin within the next year. The 34-acre parcel stretches from Stonehouse Road to the river and includes land that is "beautifully flat," Hill said. She added that each city council member had toured the property in person before agreeing to the purchase.
The park envisioned to occupy the bulk of the property will likely include adventure opportunities such as hiking, mountain biking and kayaking, according to the city manager.
By establishing a new park geared toward outdoor adventuring, Lewisburg is taking the next step in readying the community to welcome an influx of remote workers who are being recruited to relocate to the Mountain State through the Ascend West Virginia program.
Lewisburg is among the first three communities chosen to pilot the remote worker program, which is fueled by a $25 million gift from Intuit executive and Kenova native Brad Smith and his wife, Alys. Beckley was added to the list after its initial release.
Key to the Ascend program is the state's abundance of outdoor adventure opportunities.
"Until you live in West Virginia and see how beautiful it is and how wonderful the people are, you can't truly appreciate it," Hill enthused.
— Email: talvey@register-herald.com
