Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015
Hospitality/Tourism Progress Edition III — Section 1
Lodging, other upgrades planned for Brooke Hills
Contributed
From left, Brooke Hills Park board members Walter Ferguson, John Casinelli and Jason Ferguson study concept illustrations submitted by the Larson Design Group of Williamsport, Pa., the consulting firm selected to do a feasibility study to determine if the market supports a lodge at Brooke Hills Park and if so, its size and accommodations.
By WARREN SCOTT Staff writer
WELLSBURG — After considering many ways to bring more people to Brooke Hills Park, the Brooke County Park and Recreation Commission agreed its first priority should be lodging. But that doesn’t mean the group has dropped other possibilities. Walter Ferguson, board chairman, said the group is pursuing other projects, including a multipurpose building that could be rented for private events and used for indoor sports programs; hiking and equestrian trails; an amphitheater; and facilities for winter sports, such as snowboarding and sledding. Members of the board had many ideas for the park and it took some time for them to settle on the lodge as their first priority. But Janice McFadden, park manager, said lodging has been a frequent request from patrons who
come to the park for reunions, weddings and other events. She said a lodge or cabins would help to bring people to the park throughout the year, a goal she set since coming to the park in 1994. In January the board agreed to hire the Larson Design Group of Williamsport, Pa., at a cost of $50,000 to do a study to determine the market for such a facility, its size and best location at the park and potential facilities. The firm was among 11 consulting businesses that submitted qualifications and was chosen for its experience in architecture and financing. An outline prepared by the board with the help of the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle asks the consultant to consider rooms and suites for a variety of purposes and markets, including conventions and extended stay, with luxury or budget/economy accommodations.
Ferguson said pending the study’s findings, such accommodations could include conference rooms, a health center and restaurant. He noted the development could bring more jobs to the park. The facility’s potential to provide an economic boost to the county was the reason the Business Development Corp. of the Northern Panhandle got involved with the effort. Pat Ford, BDC executive director, assisted the park board in reviewing and interviewing potential consultants for it. The Larson Design Group also is slated to aid the park board in identifying funding sources for the project. “They will be involved with the project for quite a
while,” Ferguson predicted. He said at the same time, the park board and Friends of Brooke Hills Park, a fundraising committee formed by the board, will be pursuing other improvements later this year. They include an asphalt golf cart path through the park’s 18-hole golf course, new roofs for three shelters, to be done outside dates when the shelters have been reserved, and restrooms for campers. The park offers water and electric hookups for recreational vehicles and primitive campsites. Last year the Friends of Brooke Hills Park secured a $6,500 grant from the West Virginia Development Office with the help
of former state Del. Phil Diserio and raised a $6,000 match for a grinder pump for the park’s sewage system. Ferguson said the grinder will help pave the way for further development at the park. The Friends group also secured funds from the Northern Panhandle Resource Conservation and Development Council for a chairlift to aid handicapped patrons in entering the park’s swimming pool. Last year the park’s swimming pool experienced an increase in attendance with the installation of a heating system. Ferguson said the pool’s filters and pipes also were refurbished. See BROOKE HILLS Page 3A ➪