May 15, 2016 3 min read

An open house planned for Tuesday night to discuss some of the early plans about how to revitalize the beleaguered Ryerson Station State Park is an exciting development for the community.

While the loss of Duke Lake has been a bitter pill to swallow for the community, this is an important opportunity for people to participate in the process about how to make the park great once again.

It’s been nearly 10 months since the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources announced continued ground movement near the defunct Duke Lam dam will make it impossible to repair the dam, meaning the lake will never be restored.

It was a crushing blow for the area and the many people who enjoyed fishing and boating at Duke Lake, which was the centerpiece of the park for many years. Attendance at the park plummeted when the lake was drained in July 2005 when cracks formed in the concrete dam. DCNR officials said the damage was caused by nearby longwall mining.

It seems some in Greene County are still angry. But it’s time to set those negative emotions aside to focus on the promising future of the park.

Right now, there is a unique opportunity for area residents to participate in the process of rebuilding Ryerson and working closely with the DCNR as it maps out a plan to revitalize the park.

Tuesday night’s meeting at the park office will begin at 5 p.m. and allow DCNR staff to discuss and answer questions about the project’s progress so far. DCNR has been working with the Re-Vision Ryerson Station State Park Task Force, made up of various community members, to brainstorm possible features that could be a part of the park’s redesign.

It’s still in its infancy, but this meeting, along with other informational open houses in recent months, are laying the foundation for what Ryerson can become.

Although there won’t be specific plans displayed at the meeting, it will give the community an update on where the project stands, park Manager Alan Johnson said.

“We will be just discussing where we’re at right now, how we got there and discussing the concept plan,” Johnson said last week. “We’re not at the point right now where we would show anyone a design or anything like that.”

But that basic concept will be an integral part of the park’s overall revitalization, which sounds encouraging.

Some of the new park features could include a new swimming pool or splash park, modernized campgrounds, additional cabins, paved bike trails, boardwalk, a new playground, an improved amphitheater, and most importantly, fishing ponds where the lake once stood.

Those ideas would make Ryerson an attraction for the region, which is what the DCNR ultimately envisions.

But that will only happen with public participation. So far, many residents have complied by offering ideas through various surveys and informal discussions.

The open house this week is another chance for people to offer their opinions and help to reshape Ryerson Station State Park.

Many questions remain, but they’ll be more easily answered with the help of robust community support.

Area residents who loved Ryerson so much when it had Duke Lake must participate in the process and share their opinions Tuesday night to make the park an attraction for many generations to come.