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Security Deposits Proposed For Heritage Port Use

Photo by Joselyn King Former Wheeling City Manager Will Turani, a member of the Waterfront Enhancement Ad Hoc Committee, presents the committee’s findings to City Council on Tuesday night.

WHEELING — A temporary committee looking at ways to optimize Wheeling’s Heritage Port is proposing organizers using the park pay a $500 a day security fee to help with its maintenance and upkeep.

Members of the Waterfront Enhancement Ad Hoc Committee, formed by Mayor Glenn Elliott in January, have completed its discussions on how the city can make the best use of Heritage Port today and in the future. Former City Manager Will Turani, a member of the committee, presented its findings to city council Tuesday night. Accompanying him was Dr. Dan Joseph, co-director of the Wheeling Vintage Raceboat Regatta at Heritage Port.

The security fee was among the suggestions offered by the committee, as were electrical improvements for Heritage Port. Also on its list were the placement of a floating dock system for boats, jet skis and kayaks, and the construction of a pavilion near WesBanco Arena to serve as an alternative event site.

Council took the recommendations under consideration but took no action.

Turani said committee members discussed at length the need for a second stage at the port, and whether it should be a permanent structure, a rental structure, a floating structure or one anchored to a barge.

“This issue is incredibly complex to discuss,” Turani said. “We could have talked about stages forever. We could have talked about the infrastructure at Heritage Port forever.”

They also are proposing the city establish a permanent governing board for Heritage Port of not more than seven members to oversee marketing, infrastructure and upkeep of the area. The governing board should be charged with creating “more prominent” events for Heritage Port, such as a summer festival or summer series.

Turani said signage is needed to inform cars along Interstate 70 of upcoming events on the waterfront.

The $500 security deposit fee would not be intended as revenue enhancement, but rather as a means to make certain Heritage Port is left in proper condition following events taking place there.

“We hope everybody who pays for it gets it all back,” he said. “This doesn’t happen now. The port looks bad after some events.

“We’ve heard many horror stories of the port being trashed,” Turani said. “This is just to maintain it for people who want to rent it out afterward.”

Elliott explained his reason for appointing the committee back in January to make suggestions for Heritage Port.

“It’s a great resource and a great natural asset, but it really isn’t reaching its potential,” Elliott said.

In other matters, council approved the following Community Development Block Grant allocations for the coming year: the Nelson Jordan Center, $33,000; Wheeling Health Right, $22,500; East Wheeling Pool Operations, $15,000; Wheeling Police Department, $10,000; the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless, $8,500; Family Services of the Upper Ohio Valley, $7,000; Catholic Charities, $5,000; Wheeling Human Rights Commission, $5,000; and the Seeing Hand Association, $3,500.

Council also moved to appoint Jeremy Richter and Sean Duffy to the Arts and Cultural Commission; Jeffrey Knierim to the Traffic Commission; and Laura Wakim-Chapman to the Wheeling-Ohio County Board of Health.

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