Snyder: More than $85,000 awarded for Wisecarver Reservoir boat ramp access project
A state grant totaling $85,845 has been awarded to help fund a boat ramp providing access to the Wisecarver Reservoir near Waynesburg.
“Area residents are one step closer to new recreational opportunities thanks to (the) grant,” state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson said in a release announcing the grant last week.
Snyder said the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s award to Greene County under the Boating Facility Grant Program will “open new avenues for residents in an area that has lacked a plentiful variety of options.
“Abundant, affordable recreational opportunities are key to quality of life, but for our region’s many residents who love boating, convenient access to still waterways has been somewhat limited,” Snyder said in the release. “The Wisecarver Reservoir, located in an area that highlights our region’s natural beauty, would provide a perfect opportunity for residents, but access is limited without a way to launch watercraft.
“The funding awarded today is truly exciting because this project promises to open a whole new avenue for residents to spend time on the water while appreciating all our gorgeous region has to offer,” she continued.
Greene County commissioners have been working with other local and state officials and entities on the development of the 360-acre Wisecarver Recreation Area in Franklin Township, which is expected to include an access drive, parking area, pedestrian walkways, softball field and stormwater management measures, along with other related site improvements.
Snyder said the ramp would enhance fishing opportunities in the county by increasing the chances of the commission stocking Wisecarver. She said the project would include a geocell canoe/kayak ramp, a paved access road and drop-off area for boaters, a gravel path from the boat launch and a boat storage area, for an estimated total project cost of $172,000.
Matching funds in the amount of $200,000 were approved through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Snyder said.