GRAFTON, WV (WOAY) – From atop a scenic deck overlooking Tygart Lake, Gov. Jim Justice joined West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Director Steve McDaniel and other local officials today for an event to announce more than $2.8 million in bond improvement projects at Tygart Lake State Park. These projects represent the latest phase of improvement work at the park, which has a total of $6 million-worth of enhancement projects either already completed, currently underway, or set to begin in the near future.
“I can’t say enough about how proud I am,” Gov. Justice said. “If you just look around at places like this and think about all the beauty we have in West Virginia and all the great people we have, you realize we have an incredible opportunity.
“All we have to do is invest the dollars and tell our story,” Gov. Justice continued. “We’ve done just that, and now tourism is exploding because people from the outside world are beginning to realize that we’re the diamond in the rough that they missed.”
The overall investment, totaling $2,851,000, covers a variety of projects at the park, including upgrades to cabins, the lodge, and the campgrounds.
Improvements also include wastewater treatment improvements, paving by the West Virginia Division of Highways, various recreational additions – including game courts and a trail to the lake – and much more.
These enhancements are the latest among several phases of improvement work at Tygart Lake State Park under the Justice Administration. At today’s event, DNR Director McDaniel announced that, when all is said and done, this one park alone will see over $6 million-worth of total improvements completed.
“The first time I walked into the Governor’s office, the very first thing he said to me is that we’re going to bring tourism back to West Virginia and we’re going to use our state parks to do it,” Director McDaniel said.
“With Governor Justice’s support, we’ve invested over $100 million combined in our West Virginia state parks and it’s paying dividends,” Director McDaniel continued. “We are breaking attendance records every weekend. It’s amazing what we’ve been able to do.”
“Our great director Steve McDaniel has done an amazing job,” Gov. Justice said. “We’ve invested real dollars and, lo and behold, do you know what the biggest problem is right now? We don’t have a parking lot big enough to hold all the people that are coming to the park. For crying out loud, we’ve got to build another parking lot. Isn’t that a wonderful problem to have?”
Gov. Justice was also joined at today’s ceremony by West Virginia Delegate Amy Summers, whose district in Taylor County includes Tygart Lake State Park.
“It’s a pleasure to be here and to be able to show off one of our shining stars to you,” Delegate Summers said to Gov. Justice. “With your help, we’ve been able to improve it and make it better. Director McDaniel has a vision for this park like no other and I’m just so glad to be able to work with you and share what the people of Taylor County want to see.
“Good things are happening for the State of West Virginia and good things are happening for Taylor County,” Summers continued.
Major improvements have now been completed or started at every state park in West Virginia. Two weeks ago, Gov. Justice announced another $12 million in improvement projects coming to Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley Resort state parks.
“There’s only one thing I want, and that’s for the world to see how good we truly are,” Gov. Justice said. “They’re finally seeing it because of all the great work that’s being done at places like Tygart Lake State Park, and the really great part is that this is just the beginning. We’re going to keep going. We’ve got all kinds of great announcements coming around the bend and we’re just going to keep knocking it out of the park.”
