BECKLEY, W.Va. — Members of the Raleigh County Commission are scheduled to meet with legislative leaders this week to discuss a proposal to transfer ownership of Little Beaver State Park to the county.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources currently operates the 600-acre park, which includes an 18-acre lake.
Raleigh County Commission President David Tolliver told MetroNews affiliate WJLS-AM reaching a final agreement will be contingent on the state’s willingness to cover the cost of dredging the lake and repairing Little Beaver Dam. In exchange, the county would pay for other infrastructure improvements.
“It’s probably one of the cleanest waterways in Raleigh County. As far as allowing swimming out there, of course the swimming area would have to be dredged, but the water is safe,” he said.
The park was gifted by Raleigh County to the state three decades ago, and returning ownership to the county would require an act of the state Legislature. Tolliver said Delegates Mick Bates, D-Raleigh, and Jeff Pack, R-Raleigh, are willing to sponsor the necessary legislation. He added he believes resistance to the proposal among lawmakers is unlikely, given the current economic circumstances regarding public parks in West Virginia.
Tolliver noted there are various physical aspects of the park that have fallen into disrepair over the years, including several man-made structures that need to be torn down.
“Last fiscal year of West Virginia parks, they’re all in dire need of money, and — from the figures we got last year — the state lost $250,000 at Little Beaver,” he said.
Tolliver said he wants an agreement in place before the end of the current legislative session in order to avoid waiting another year to begin preliminary restoration efforts.