Mountwood Park to receive federal funds for campground | News, Sports, Jobs

CHARLESTON — Mountwood Park is among a number of tourism locations around the state getting federal money to build new attractions to enhance their offerings.

Gov. Jim Justice and West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Harold Ward announced Wednesday the recommendation of six AML Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program projects that will utilize nearly $26 million in federal grant funding for economic development at abandoned mine land sites across the state.

The Mountwood Park Trail Center and Campground Project is scheduled to receive $2,600,247 to construct a state-of-the-art trail-side campground and 5-7 miles of new, bike-optimized trails in the soon-to-launch Mountaineer Trail Network.

Wood County Commission President Blair Couch, who also serves on the Mountwood Park Board, said the park is planning to combine that money with funds they already have to spend over $3 million to secure an old family coal mine located in the park as well as build the new family campgrounds in an underutlized part of the park.

The old coal mine is still accessible and officials want to be able to secure it as a safety measure. Officials have talked about possibly turning it into a site where they might be able to teach about mining done in the area in the 19th Century. The mine has been out of use since the late 1800s.

The WVDEP’s Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation (AML) administers the grant funding, which is provided by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).

Grant applications were evaluated by a committee of representatives from the WVDEP, West Virginia Department of Commerce, West Virginia Department of Transportation, and the Governor’s Office.

OSMRE must also give final approval of the projects and amounts awarded.

To qualify, the proposed economic development projects must be located on or adjacent to mine sites that ceased operations prior to the signing of the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act on Aug. 3, 1977.

The new campground will be placed at the former horse riding campgrounds that have been closed for a while. Couch said plans are in the works to do some platform tents, possible cabins and do an upgrade of the shower/bath facilities that were there.

“It is very exciting,” Couch said. “We are going to have a nice family-friendly hiking and biking facility up there.

“It is going to be beautiful.”

Couch hopes they will be able to put the bids out soon so the work can begin.

Other sites receiving funding include: Cinderella Adventure Resort in Mingo County ($3,080,886); Davis Center Headquarters Facility in Tucker County ($12,500,000); Range 1 Training Facility in McDowell County ($2,058,050); Tap Room Coworking Synergy Center & Apartments in Tucker County ($727,000); and Stonewood I-79 Development in Harrison County ($5,000,000).