SHARON, PA. Shenango River Watchers builds park, canoe launch

The group wants to make what it says is a 'nice stretch' of the river more accessible.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
SHARON, Pa. -- Shenango River Watchers is building a small park and canoe launch on city land along the Shenango River at the Budd Street Bridge.
"We've already started it," said founder and president Jennifer Barborak, explaining that the group began cleaning brush and rocks from the site earlier this year.
A team of inmate volunteers in the community work program at the state Regional Correctional Facility at Mercer came over to help, she said.
"They are hard workers. We really appreciated their help," she said.
Shenango River Watchers is a nonprofit, volunteer watershed group founded in January 2001 to restore and protect the environmental, scenic and recreational attributes of the Shenango River. It has 120 dues-paying members.
Cleanup days
The group has held a dozen river cleanup days, pulling more than 17 tons of trash, more than 250 tires and nearly 25,000 aluminum cans from the river and its banks.
It has also placed and maintains garbage cans at popular fishing spots along the river.
"We're trying to make a difference around the river," said Barborak, who, with her husband, Rick, founded the organization.
The park project is on city land and had the blessing of former Mayor Robert T. Price.
Mayor David O. Ryan said he has no objections to the effort.
It's a project that may benefit some segment of the community, he said.
Barborak said the plan is to put in a driveway, a small gravel parking lot, picnic tables and a canoe launch.
There are no public launches along that stretch of the river between the low-head dams at the Shenango Valley Water Co. near Clark Street in Sharon and Duferco Farrell Steel in Farrell, she said.
"It's a nice stretch of river," she said, noting that people do a lot of fishing in that section. There are also plenty of ducks and geese on the river, she said.
Completion delayed
The plan was to have the park finished this year, but delays in securing a state permit for the canoe launch have pushed back that goal, Barborak said, noting that the work probably won't be completed until spring or early summer.
She said the group is working with the Mercer County Conservation District office to make sure the stream bank where the launch will be is protected from erosion.
Shenango River Watchers has a board member who owns a tractor with a grading blade on it, and he will be asked to do the grading necessary for the driveway and parking area, Barborak said.
That area is 8 to 10 feet above the river, and a walkway down to the canoe launch will probably have to be graded by hand, she said.
The group will put in steps so people can carry canoes to the water, she said, adding that there won't be a typical boat launch ramp that people can drive down.
Area businesses will be asked to donate gravel for the driveway and parking area, and there are plans to plant trees and bushes around the site, Barborak said.
The park is a good spot to open up for public access to the river, she said, noting that the group found a number of empty purses and wallets and some bicycles in the brush before it was cleared, an indication that it was a drop spot for people who had stolen those items.
Opening it up and getting people to use it should help eliminate it as a dumping spot, she said.
Shenango River Watchers is grateful the city allowed it to clean up the unused land and put it to good use, Barborak said.