photo by: Eric Ayres

Trees along the bank of the Ohio River near Heritage Port and WesBanco Arena in downtown Wheeling are expected to be trimmed in order to enhance views of the river.

WHEELING — City officials in Wheeling are working on a project to trim trees along the river bank near the south end of Heritage Port in the near future to help enhance views of the Ohio River.

The tree trimming is expected to improve the scenic vistas not only from Heritage Port, but also from WesBanco Arena’s northwest patio – which has seen increased use over this past summer with several events taking place there. Members of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority recently discussed the effort during their most recent meeting.

“The original Heritage Port plan called for river views from that end of the park,” said Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron, chairman of the GWSEA. “Removing these trees and brush is not only consistent with that plan, but also will improve the appearance of the park.”

WesBanco Arena will soon be bustling again with activity as Wheeling Nailers hockey season kicked off on the road this past weekend, and home games slated to start Nov. 1. A handful of major improvement projects inside and outside the arena were completed in recent months. Projects to install a new surveillance camera system, a new steel rigging system and a newly reconstructed southwest patio were finished during the hockey offseason.

In light of the increased summertime use of the northwest patio for outdoor events, officials indicated that the tree trimming should be a welcome enhancement. Views from the city’s popular new splash pad between WesBanco Arena and Heritage Port will also be improved.

“The beautiful — and currently blocked — view of the river, the port, the Island, Fort Henry Bridge and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge will be greatly enhanced by this proposed project,” Herron said. “The city has had the trees trimmed or removed from time to time throughout the past 25 years or so. Our Engineering Division is working on a preliminary cost estimate. Assuming affordability, the project will be bid.”

Herron noted that Wheeling City Councilman Dave Palmer, also a member of the GWSEA board, had requested that specifications for the tree trimming be put together.

“We can’t do anything until after Nov. 15, but we are (planning) to take all those trees along the bank so you can see much better,” Herron said, explaining that because of bat nesting and habitat issues, the window for this proposed tree removal project to take place is between Nov. 15 and March 30.

Officials with the GWSEA said summer events on the northwest patio have been a great success. WesBanco Arena hosted First Friday events there with live music and more on the first Friday of each summer month, and the recent Gumby’s Cigar Social on the patio was very well received.

“For that event alone, our revenue was around $7,000,” said Kelly Tucker, executive director of the GWSEA. “For 120 people on a Thursday night in September, it was a really good night.”

Tucker added that they are looking to bring outdoor igloos for private dining to Heritage Port in the future. The plastic enclosed and lighted igloos seat up to eight people.

Earlier this year, Wheeling City Council agreed to transfer $210,962 from the Arena RCIP (Restricted Capital Improvement Project) fund to the GWSEA for the new steel rigging system at WesBanco Arena.

Officials with the GWSEA have noted that an in-house rigging system was needed to accommodate events such as concerns with large arrays of production equipment that are suspended above the stage. In the past, temporary lift systems had to be rented to accommodate shows in the arena with substantial amounts of staging elements, large lighting rigs, speaker stacks, video screens and other production apparatuses needed to suspend heavy equipment above the stage.

This summer, city council also transferred $165,000 from the Arena RCIP fund for replacement of the concrete stairs and landing for the arena’s southwest patio.

Initially, it was believed that weather issues — such as freezing and thawing — over time had apparently contributed to a cracking of the southwest patio and stairs. The cracking of the concrete got so bad, a portion of the concrete surface was reportedly pulling away from the building, and the patio was closed because of the structural issues. It was later discovered after the patio surface was dug up, however, that a drain under the patio was broken and likely had been for years, causing the landing to crack.

Officials noted that this patio area on the opposite side of the building from the main arena entrance is primarily used by vendors and other workers. That project is now finished, and the new stairs and patio landing have re-opened.