Rick Fay of OHM Advisors speaks to the crowd during the public meeting hosted by the Village of Ripley on Oct. 9. Photo by Wade Linville
Doug McDonald, consultant and manager of the Freedom Landing Boat Dock project, speaks on the application of grant funds for improvements along the riverfront during the public meeting hosted by the Village of Ripley on Oct. 9. Photo by Wade Linville
The preliminary plans for improvements in Ripley by OHM Advisors.
After securing funds for the multi-million dollar Freedom Landing Boat Dock project, the Village of Ripley has even bigger plans to revitalize the riverfront along Front Street.
The village plans to apply for $25 million in grant funds through the Appalachian Community Grant Program, but time is running out to create a plan and meet the application deadline. It is anticipated that the grant funds will be awarded in February or March of 2024, and plans for projects requesting grant funds need to be prepared and submitted prior.
The Village of Ripley hosted a public meeting on the evening of Monday, Oct. 9 at the Union Township Public Library Annex in Ripley with many members of the general public and Ripley business owners in attendance to listen to the preliminary plans for Front Street and to help provide public input on what they feel the project should include.
“It’s all about potential,” Ripley Village council member, Howard McClain, said of the possible improvements on Ripley’s riverfront and how it could impact Ripley’s businesses and residents.
A detailed plan must be submitted with the grant application, and the Village of Ripley wants the public involved in developing that plan for the riverfront and surrounding area of Front Street.
Speaking during the public meeting were Rick Fay of OHM Advisors (the Village of Ripley’s Appalachian Community Grant Program planners)and Doug McDonald, consultant and manager of the Freedom Landing Boat Dock Project.
Drawings of the preliminary plans were posted around the room, and those in attendance were able to write their ideas on “sticky notes” and post them to the boards.
“We want to know what you like and what you don’t like,” Fay said to those in attendance to the meeting regarding the preliminary plans for the riverfront project.
The preliminary plans by OHM include a splash pad, visitor booths at the location of the Ripley monument, two event lawn areas, relocating the current boat ramp to allow for more space, a kayak launch, a lower river walkway, and mile-and-a-half trail covering Ripley’s famous historic sites, the John Parker House and the Rankin House. The plans also include improvements that will change the look of Ripley’s riverfront with hopes of attracting more visitors to the village.
According to McDonald, there is approximately $450M in grant funds remaining to be issued for approved projects that are submitted from 32 counties. The Village of Ripley may or may not get approved for the entire $25M it plans to apply for, but if it can get at least some of the grant money to start the project it is a huge step in the right direction, according to Ripley Village Administrator Wayne Gates. For those approved for the grant, the grant funds do not require matching funds.
According to McDonald, this is an opportunity that the Village of Ripley may not see again in the near future.
“Ripley needs a plan,” said McDonald. “We have a unique opportunity.”
If submitting a grant application, the Village of Ripley would know around March of next year if it is approved for funds and the work should be completed two years after that with construction complete by October of 2026, according to Fay.
One Ripley business owner, Stephen Strunk, requested that the public be more involved in the process, being given the opportunity to provide input along the way and meetings be held on a weekly basis if necessary.
“We need more discussions,” said Strunk. “We need more Steering Committee meetings.”
In response, Gates agreed to post regular updates to the village’s Facebook page, and those with input or questions can visit www.villageofripley.com and hit the yellow “Submit a request” button.
While all 32 counties may not be submitting applications for the available grant funds, Ripley can expect some competition in the grant application process with other municipalities such as New Richmond and Portsmouth expected to also submit plans for the ACGP.
Regardless of what plans the residents and businesses of Ripley decide on, they need to make a decision fast or miss the grant application deadline.
Working in the Village of Ripley’s advantage are the environmental studies already completed for the boat dock project, putting Ripley ahead of other municipalities that submit grant applications.
“This sort of gives us a ‘leg up’ in that respect that we want to take advantage of,” McDonald said of the environmental reviews that have already been conducted.
Longtime Ripley resident Carol Stivers once said, “I want people to come to Ripley and learn to love it as much as we do.”
According to McDonald, if the grant funds are approved and the riverfront project is complete, expect Ripley to become a place where tourists want to visit, stay for longer periods, and spend their money at local businesses.
“We want to build the future of Ripley today,” said McDonald.