FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont may soon see more paddles and fishing poles with the pending approval of a proposed water trail on the West Fork River.
At next Tuesday’s city council meeting, a resolution to support the formation of the West Fork River Water Trail System will be voted on.
Fairmont is the last municipality on the West Fork River to vote to support this proposal. If the resolution is passed, the trail proposal will go on to attempt to receive state recognition.
Mike Murphey, a member of the nonprofit organization Guardians of the West Fork River, presented the resolution to city council at the last meeting.
Murphey and his son fish the West Fork River together. He said he hopes Fairmont approves the resolution to support the project.
“The vision is to make more safer, accessible spots on the West Fork River so more people can enjoy the West Fork River,” he said. “We have about 18 to 20 locations that we are going to try to improve.
“We’ve worked on four or five projects last year and this year. A friend and I have been clearing brush on the sides,” Murphey said. “We’re both in our 70s.”
Peggy Pings, a representative for the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, said the vision for the water trail is to establish a 75-mile water trail from Stonewall Jackson Reservoir Dam to Fairmont. It will run through Lewis, Harrison and Marion counties…
