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‘New vision’ of Ryerson Park takes shape

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State officials are adamant the remaining money from a legal settlement with Consol Energy originally earmarked to rebuild Duke Lake will now be used exclusively to improve Ryerson Station State Park, giving planners a blank canvas and plenty of cash to recreate the park.

The initial bombshell news announced July 24 that the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources would not rebuild the Duke Lake dam because of continued ground movement near the park gave way to faint hope that local and state officials can find new amenities to bring visitors back.

Harry Gillespie, a co-chairman of the Duke Lake Task Force that was formed immediately after the lake was drained in July 2005, said he thought plans were progressing to restore the popular lake until “they dropped that bombshell.” But rather than sulking about the past, Gillespie said he and other task force members are eager to begin re-envisioning the park and building new attractions at Ryerson.

“The thing I look at now is to not sit around and wring your hands and say, ‘Oh my, the lake will never be there again.’ We have to take a different approach to see what we can do to make it attractive to get folks back,” Gillespie said.

A survey soliciting feedback on potential amenities will be sent to interested parties, Gillespie said, and a meeting will be held either this month or next to start initial brainstorming sessions about the park.

He is encouraged by the ideas that sprang up after last month’s announcement, in which task force members suggested building hiking and biking trails, updating the campgrounds, improving the pool or, most importantly, creating streams and small fishing ponds where Duke Lake once stood.

Gillespie said he envisions a mother pushing a stroller on one of the walking trails while a young child rides a small bike beside her. Just a few feet away, he sees a father and son casting their lines into one of the freshly stocked man-made fishing ponds fed by a small stream.

“Let’s get input, sit down and see what’s feasible and then get the ball rolling,” he said.

Gillespie and others admitted, though, that there is some skepticism whether the remnants of the $36 million settlement the state reached with Consol in 2013 would be used on the park or gobbled up in the state budget.

“Obviously, it will take a lot of money to enhance the park,” Gillespie said. “That money needs to stay here.”

To date, the state has spent $9.72 million of the settlement, with the vast majority of that being used for the lake sediment removal – still a necessity for any future improvements to the park – and initial redesign of the dam. The total cost of the dam reconstruction was expected to be about $25 million, which is close to what is left from the settlement money, and it will now be used for other park improvements, DCNR spokeswoman Christina Novak said.

“That amount has been encumbered through the capital budget process, and we are working to ensure it can be used for other infrastructure projects at Ryerson Station State Park,” Novak said in a written statement Friday.

There are also concerns about whether DCNR’s decision not to rebuild the dam could alter the settlement with Consol. The state blamed Consol’s nearby longwall mining operation for damaging to the dam, although the energy company denies wrongdoing and plans to continue mining in that area for the next four years.

Novak said “the settlement is final,” although the state’s legal team is parsing through the contract again to ensure there isn’t an unforeseen issue. A Consol spokesman did not return a phone call seeking comment on the settlement.

Coalfield Justice Executive Director Patrick Grenter said his group is focusing on protecting nearby streams that might be impacted by future mining. The organization is concerned that the idea of small fishing ponds inside the former lake would not be sustainable if the feeder streams are lost.

“Without those streams, there is no park,” Grenter said. “Many of these streams are susceptible for subsidence damage. We have to dig in our heels and save what’s left.”

His organization is also interested in “facilitating a true community discussion” on Ryerson’s future. He said they are encouraged by DNCR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn’s commitment to the restoration efforts and looking forward to working with state officials.

“Out of this tragedy, we have an opportunity to create a new vision for the park,” he said. “It certainly wasn’t our first choice, but we’re looking forward to making the best of it.”

Despite palpable grief expressed by local residents upset about the loss of the lake, DCNR officials think waiting another decade to make improvements would be the death knell for Ryerson’s future. Attendance has dropped by one-fourth from its pre-2005 annual figure of 265,000, park officials previously said.

The community has been without a “big resource” for all too long, Novak said, and the time is right to make improvements using the settlement money.

Novak said the state hopes community leaders and residents take ownership of the process to revive Ryerson.

“We feel like they’ve waited long enough and we needed to start discussing something that could be really cool and not only serve the residents, but attract visitors who will spend money in the area,” Novak said.

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