Robert Murray just moved back to St. Albans from Nashville & was at Mohler Landing looking it over. The Coal River Group has cleaned the area & put in a small craft, hand carry boat launch.
"That's what a lot of people think, but its not true," Currey said. "Many people don't believe me, but the area is gorgeous. It's one of the biggest assets we have in West Virginia."
Currey is the president of the nonprofit Coal River Group. The organization works to clean up the river and develop tourism and recreation opportunities.
For the past four years the group has been developing the Walhonde Water Trail. It's an 88-mile recreation trail along the river system, which includes the big, little and lower Coal River watersheds.
In June, the group opened a new boat take-out area beside U.S 60 in St. Albans near the Gateway Shopping Center.
Currey said the area gives boaters easier access to the Coal River.
The river flows through three counties: Kanawha, Boone and Lincoln.
"We found there were no public access sites from St. Albans all the way to Corridor G," Currey said. "We thought we'd fill a big hole by putting a take-out area right at the end of the trail."
Currey, 63, has been an avid, lifelong river rafter.
He spent time boating on the Coal River while growing up in St. Albans. His full-time job is owning and operating Currey and Associates, a commercial real estate firm.
Five years ago, Currey and longtime friend Bill Queen decided to form the group to improve the Coal River for recreational purposes.
"We started with the intention of helping people who wanted to fish and kayak," Currey said. "We knew this river was worth saving."
Currey and Queen charted each mile of the Walhonde trail through numerous floating trips.
"We felt like Lewis and Clark," Currey said.
The trail's name comes from a shorter version of the word Walondesippi, which was what the Delaware Indians called the Coal Rivers.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Bill Currey doesn't like it when people describe the Coal River as dirty, polluted and disgusting.
"That's what a lot of people think, but its not true," Currey said. "Many people don't believe me, but the area is gorgeous. It's one of the biggest assets we have in West Virginia."
Currey is the president of the nonprofit Coal River Group. The organization works to clean up the river and develop tourism and recreation opportunities.
For the past four years the group has been developing the Walhonde Water Trail. It's an 88-mile recreation trail along the river system, which includes the big, little and lower Coal River watersheds.
In June, the group opened a new boat take-out area beside U.S 60 in St. Albans near the Gateway Shopping Center.
Currey said the area gives boaters easier access to the Coal River.
The river flows through three counties: Kanawha, Boone and Lincoln.
"We found there were no public access sites from St. Albans all the way to Corridor G," Currey said. "We thought we'd fill a big hole by putting a take-out area right at the end of the trail."
Currey, 63, has been an avid, lifelong river rafter.
He spent time boating on the Coal River while growing up in St. Albans. His full-time job is owning and operating Currey and Associates, a commercial real estate firm.
Five years ago, Currey and longtime friend Bill Queen decided to form the group to improve the Coal River for recreational purposes.
"We started with the intention of helping people who wanted to fish and kayak," Currey said. "We knew this river was worth saving."
Currey and Queen charted each mile of the Walhonde trail through numerous floating trips.
"We felt like Lewis and Clark," Currey said.
The trail's name comes from a shorter version of the word Walondesippi, which was what the Delaware Indians called the Coal Rivers.
Currey said the group wanted to focus on three things: addressing environmental issues such as sewage leaks and trash, creating river recreation options and preserving the river's history.
Currey said the group now includes 300 volunteers and has received $200,000 in project grants.
Sadly, Queen passed away last year due to injuries suffered in an auto accident. He was 59.
Currey said his friend never saw the completion of the new boat take-out area.
The structure was built with help from the state Department of Natural Resources.
Bret Preston, assistant chief of warmwater fisheries for the DNR, said the lower Coal River had lacked public access points. His agency worked with Currey's group to find suitable areas.
The group found the spot on land donated by the Mohler Family, which founded the Mohler Lumber Co. of St. Albans.
The family formerly owned and operated a mill at the take-out site.
Preston said the area's creation was due to a good working relationship between the state and the group.
"The new public access near the mouth of the Coal River is the result of more than a request of a local group," Preston said. "We identify access needs across the state and then work with willing partners to locate specific access points."
Currey said his group was persistent about getting the dock finished.
"We just pestered them to death," he said.
He said he hopes the area will entice more boaters to utilize the Coal River.
"It's all floatable almost year round," Currey said. "The Coal River, big and little, is a lot like a bunny slope. It's great for beginners, and there's lots of rapids from Alum Creek to Whitesville."
