Morgantown — Representatives from the city of Morgantown, the Morgantown Utility Board, BOPARC, SQP Construction Group, and design firm HRG gathered in White Park Thursday to cut a ribbon for the new Cobun Creek Bridge.
The bridge will open up some 20 additional acres of White Park for trail construction and public access.
The 172-foot crossing was initially set in place in November, but it already has a backstory seven years long.
In April 2019 dozens of marked trees in White Park kicked off a public, months-long standoff between MUB, the city of Morgantown and BOPARC regarding the placement of a gravity-fed water line through the park connecting the new Flegal Reservoir to MUB’s water treatment facility on Don Knotts Boulevard.
MUB was ultimately cleared to do so, with conditions — a new bridge, a new trail and 326 trees for the 230 removed.
“To me, today’s celebration is more about the symbolic bridges that we built to get here. It wasn’t quick and it definitely wasn’t easy, but the city of Morgantown, Morgantown Utility Board, and BOPARC came together to make the best of a situation that could have destroyed much of this park as we know it. And this park truly is one of the gems of the BOPARC system — a forest right in the middle of the city,” Morgantown Mayor, and BOPARC President, Danielle Trumble said.
“I have heard such great things from the community already and we are not done. This collaboration will continue and will result in expanded trails here in White Park, activating a previously inaccessible area. This cooperation will be ongoing and will also result in many more trails and other forms of recreation opening at Flegal Dam and Reservoir.”
The construction contract for the bridge was $1.44 million.
