Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
SWANTON — Members of the Western Garrett County State Park Volunteers will hear why the forest canopy walkway project at the Discovery Center has been nixed during their quarterly meeting today at Deep Creek Lake State Park.
John Pucciano, president of the volunteer group, said Maryland Park Service superintendent Nita Settina is responsible for the cancellation of the volunteer project.
“In the spring of 2011 when it looked likely that the organization would be successful in raising the necessary funds to build and maintain the structure, the current superintendent of the Park Service ... began to erect roadblocks,” said Pucciano in an email to the Times-News. “Each (roadblock) was met with the expenditure of additional money to produce revised designs at DNR’s request.”
A representative of the Department of Natural Resources will attend today’s meeting at 6 p.m. to explain what happened to the project, Pucciano said.
The canopy walkway, which was spearheaded by the Western Garrett County State Park Volunteers, was approved by the DNR in a 2005-to-2006 timeframe, according to Pucciano.
“It was to be built and maintained by the volunteer organization,” said Pucciano.
Money for the project has come from various fundraisers. Prior to 2011, $100,000 was raised, with about $75,000 going toward design and engineering studies, according to Pucciano. In 2011, a decorated bear fundraising event netted more than $40,000 as well as a $50,000 donation from Brookfield Energy with a promise of $50,000 more.
“The organization was well on its way to raising the money needed to build the project,” said Pucciano. “Many people from Garrett and Allegany counties and those from the surrounding West Virginia and Pennsylvania areas as well as visitors from all over have donated money to the idea of a forest canopy walkway to be used as an outdoor nature classroom for school children.”
Bears for the 2011 fundraising event that were decorated by 20 local artists were adopted by local businesses and organizations and in November were auctioned off to permanent owners, according to a previous Times-News article.
The walkway would have allowed the public access to the upper parts of the forest canopy, according to the park volunteer website. The canopy is where many birds, butterflies, flowers and various other species would live and could be seen up close.
Attempts by the Times-News to contact Settina were unsuccessful.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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