Management Plan for Canal Place Was first Approved in 1996 and Subsequently Updated in 2002
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April 2014 Acknowledgements Steering Committee: » Andrew Vick, Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority » Barb Buehl, Allegany County Tourism » Bill Atkinson, Maryland Department of Planning » Chris Stubbs, National Park Service » Cindy Foreman, Canal Place » Dave Romero, Downtown Development Commission » Deidra Ritchie, Canal Place » Greg Hildreth, Allegany County » Janice Keene, Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority » Jennifer Light, Cumberland Main Street » John Kirby, City of Frostburg » Kathy McKenney, City of Cumberland » Larry Jackson, Cumberland Economic Development Commission » Lynne Wigfield, National Park Service (retired) » Marci Ross, Maryland Office of Tourism Development » Richard Hughes, Maryland Heritage Areas Authority » Stephen Bucy, Maryland State Highway Administration » Terry Maxwell, Maryland State Highway Administration Project Partners and Funders: » The City of Cumberland » Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority » National Park Service » Downtown Development Commission » Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development » Appalachian Regional Commission » Maryland Heritage Areas Authority Plan prepared by: › Mackin Engineering Company › Environmental Management Collaboration › Paula Reed and Associates › Clearview Strategies › Jennings Gap, Inc. › Hardwood Resources Economics, Inc. › Jack Keene › Pat Stakem › William Bauman TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1.1 Recommendations ...................................................................................................................................... 2.1 Action Plan ................................................................................................................................................... 3.1 Appendices Appendix A = Comprehensive Plan Review Appendix B = Agency Invitees Appendix C = Economic Impacts Appendix D = Proposed Additions to Canal Place Preservation District Appendix E = National Register Properties Appendix F = Draft Curriculum Appendix G = Grant and Loan Programs Appendix H = References Canal Place was Maryland’s first Cerfied Heritage Area. Designated in 1993, the Canal Place Preservaon and Development Authority (CPPDA) oversees the management of Canal Place. A management plan for Canal Place was first approved in 1996 and subsequently updated in 2002. This current update outlines the priority goals and projects for Canal Place over the next five years. The theme of “Transportaon” was chosen for the Heritage Area due to its importance in the history and creaon of Canal Place. Cumberland's role as a transportaon hub began before the colonial period. Nave Americans followed trails from the Potomac Valley into the Allegheny Highlands. During the French and Indian War, Brish General Edward Braddock upgraded one of the trails into a wagon road in his effort to win Fort Duquesne and the Ohio Country. In the nineteenth century, the first major Federally‐funded highway, the Historic Naonal Road, linked Cumberland with Wheeling and the Ohio River in 1818. The Balmore and Ohio Railroad arrived in 1842, while the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal reached Cumberland eight years later. In the tweneth century, the Western Maryland Railway was completed to Cumberland in 1907, while US 40 and later Interstate 68 supplanted the Historic Naonal Road. Today, the process has returned to its trail roots as muluse recreaonal trails along historic transportaon corridors link Cumberland with Washington, D.C. and Pisburgh, PA. A number of subthemes have been idenfied for the process as well: » Subtheme‐ Natural Resources › Forests, public lands › Raw Materials – coal, mber, pulp wood, sandstone, limestone and fireclay › Rivers, waterways, wetlands › Scenic Vistas » Subtheme – Cultural Resources › Architecture › Archeology › Ethnic History – Underground Railroad, Nave American, Irish (Canals, Railroads), Religious Instuons › Arts and Entertainment Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan 1 » Subtheme – Recreaonal Resources › Trails › Towpath › Bikeways › Water Trails › Events and Entertainment › Scenic Drives » Subtheme ‐ Naon Building / Industrial Revoluon › Car and Locomove Works › Manufacturing › Mills › Quarries and Mining In addion to the theme, the Management Plan update has idenfied areas to expand the Heritage Area within Allegany County to include areas and resources that illustrate and help to interpret the theme of the Heritage Area. Currently the Canal Place Heritage Area is the smallest in Maryland, and through expansion, the diversity of heritage tourism opportunies will increase as will the eligibility for addional funding opportunies. The following areas have been invesgated to be included in the expanded boundary: » Historic Naonal Road Scenic Byway—the enre length through Allegany County » The GAP Trail from Cumberland to Frostburg and then north to the Allegany County line » The Naonal Register Historic Districts in the communies of Mount Savage, Frostburg, and Lonaconing » The Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway from Frostburg south to Allegany County line » The C&O Towpath Trail and the C&O Canal Naonal Historical Park from Cumberland east to the Allegany County line; and the C&O Canal Scenic Byway along MD 51 from Cumberland to Paw Paw » Expanded areas of the Canal Place Preservaon District A series of Goals and Objecves were developed for the plan update and are outlined on the following pages. More detail can be found within the plan secons. EXPANSION GOAL: Ensure the Heritage Area is inclusive of heritage resources throughout Allegany county » Objecve E1: Expand the boundaries of the Heritage Area, in a phased approach, to incorporate geographic features which link to the Area’s theme as a transportaon gateway › Acon Step 1: Phase I Expansion ‐ the expanded areas of the Canal Place Preservaon District (see Objecve RI1), the Historic Naonal Road Scenic Byway (remaining segment within the City of Cumberland) and the C&O Canal Scenic Byway along MD 51 (within the City of Cumberland) and the poron of the C&O Canal Naonal Historical Park within the City of Cumberland that is not currently in the Heritage Area. › Acon Step 2: Phase II Expansion (as resources become available, as projects are idenfied and as local governments decide to parcipate) ‐ GAP Trail from Cumberland north to PA border, Historic Naonal Road Scenic Byway (enre length through Allegany County), Naonal Register Historic Districts in Mt. Savage, Lonaconing and Frostburg, the C&O Towpath Trail and the C&O Canal Naonal Historical Park from Cumberland east to the Allegany County line, Mountain Maryland Scenic Byway from Frostburg south to the Allegany County line (including the communies of Midland, Barton and Westernport), C&O Canal Scenic Byway along MD 51 from Cumberland to Paw Paw (including the communies of North Branch, Spring Gap, Oldtown and Lile Orleans), Western Maryland Railroad Right‐of‐Way Milepost 126‐160 Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan 2 REGIONAL IDENTITY GOAL: Preserve the regional idenƟty of the Heritage Area to protect and enhance the natural, cultural, archeological, historical, scenic and recreaƟonal resources » Objecve RI1: Consider expanding the boundaries of the Canal Place Preservaon District › Acon Step 1: Include a poron of the Canada / Viaduct Survey District in the Canal Place Preservaon District › Acon Step 2: Include the Greene Street Naonal Register Historic District in the Canal Place Preservaon District › Acon Step 3: Include the Candoc and Mason Recreaonal Complex / Riverside Area secon of the C&O Canal in the Canal Place Preservaon District » Objecve RI2: Evaluate the possibility of achieving Naonal Cerficaon › Acon Step 1: Determine if the Canal Place Heritage Area (as expanded) is eligible to become a Naonal Heritage Area › Acon Step 2: Begin applicaon process (if applicable) › Acon Step 3: Connue contact with Garre County regarding their applicaon to become part of the Appalachian Naonal Forest NHA PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GOAL: Ensure the appropriate development takes place in the Heritage Area. Objecve PD1: Complete capital projects that enhance the visitor’s experience › Acon Step 1: Enhance the offerings at the historic boat yard › Acon Step 2: Conduct a study to determine future use of the canal basin › Acon Step 3: Physically enhance the connecons to and within the Heritage Area such as those with other land trails, bike routes and the Potomac River Water Trail › Acon Step 4: Idenfy Target Investment projects › Acon Step 5: Enhance the visual and physical connecon between Canal Place and Cumberland’s Town Centre › Acon Step 6: Complete the redevelopment of the Footer’s Dye Works building › Acon Step 7: Explore the acquision of addional property surrounding Canal Place for both tourism and economic development opportunies › Acon Step 8: Improve the aesthecs of vacant and abandoned properes › Acon Step 9: Develop a “Railroad Park” in Cumberland » Objecve PD2: Complete non‐capital projects that enhance the visitor’s experience › Acon Step 1: Develop addional events / programs to draw tourists and others to the Canal Place Heritage Area › Acon Step 2: Develop an Interpreve Plan for the Heritage Area › Acon Step 3: Develop collateral materials that interpret the Heritage Area aracons, services,