CLEARFIELD – The proposed Clearfield whitewater recreation park was addressed by members of Clearfield Borough Council at Thursday night’s committee meetings.
Following an executive session, council reported that the Clearfield Revitalization Corp. (CRC) is no longer raising funds to cover the costs for the engineering and design studies.
Consequently, council recommended that the borough “discontinue” its pursuit of “any agreement” with regards to the proposed project.
In late November, Clearly Ahead Development announced its most recent plan alternatives for the Clearfield and Curwensville areas to consider in the replacement of the low-head dams at Pee Wee’s Nest in Curwensville and the Raftsmen’s Memorial Dam in downtown Clearfield.
In spring, summer and fall of 2023, over 30 local stakeholders, including municipal officials, convened to discuss the process and to assess the feasible nature of in-water recreational parks as a means to improve the waterways of the Susquehanna River in the greater Clearfield and Curwensville areas on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River.
In 2023, S2O Design & Engineering was retained by Clearly Ahead Development to conduct the study and is a premier, global leader in the creation of public whitewater park design and engineering solutions.
The study was funded in part by Appalachian Region Commission and Visit Clearfield County.
The study was also shared in multiple municipal and town hall meetings of Curwensville Borough and Clearfield Borough over the course of 2024 to showcase a manageable solution to the communities’ deteriorating low-head dams.
In November, State Senator Wayne Langerholc Jr. and State House Rep. Mike Armanini announced Clearly Ahead Development as the award recipient of a $615,000 State-wide Local Share Account (LSA) grant for the purposes of engineering, design and permitting associated with plans to further implement the feasibility study on behalf of the communities.
Concurrently, Clearly Ahead Development issued a request for proposals for design and permitting services to implement future planning and design. The bids are due by Dec. 9, 2024.
The report and future planning illustrate how municipalities can successfully address the inherent community safety, existing deterioration, aquatic and recreational liabilities associated with maintaining or the outright removal of the existing low-head dams.
In lieu of removal of the dams, the report explains how the sites can be redeveloped into public recreational assets without adversely affecting water levels the community is accustomed to experience above and below the current project sites, and the 100-year flood plains.
In turn, the project areas would serve as public recreational whitewater parks for locals and out of town visitors as an outdoor destination.
The results would further strengthen Clearfield County as a diverse outdoor recreational hub and be the only river town in the PA Wilds region with public whitewater recreational parks.
In other business Thursday, under Public Works, council noted that there’s no Christmas tree pickup for borough residents. Trees, however, can be taken to the compost site for disposal.
And, under personnel, it was recommended to hire Brett Stewart as the borough’s code enforcement officer.
Council will hold its voting meeting Thursday, Dec. 19, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
