Post by L Roebuck on Apr 14, 2006 10:30:05 GMT -5
Senator delivers cave funds
By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com
“We love Lost River!” yelled students from Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School as they pulled out of the Lost River Cave & Valley parking lot Wednesday, after posing for pictures with U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.
McConnell, R-Ky., came to Lost River to hand over a symbolic $800,000 check to Lost River Executive Director Rho Lansden, a federal appropriation he secured to help buy 20 acres of land adjoining the tourist attraction.
McConnell said a few years ago, he'd never heard of Lost River Cave. Some friends told him about it, and he came for a visit.
“Of course, viewing it is all it takes to realize what a unique natural phenomenon it is, right here in an urban area,” McConnell said.
That turned him into a supporter of the attraction, which offers boat tours through the cave and nature hikes through the valley to 70,000 visitors a year.
“It's both good for the environment and good for growth,” McConnell said.
McConnell's appropriation, announced more than a year ago, will cover half the cost of the land, Landsen said. The Friends of Lost River will seek more grants for the rest, or will have to put some of the proceeds from boat tours toward it, she said.
But the money will let Lost River put more of its income toward a new visitor education center and an array of environmental programs, Landsen said.
The land to be bought is along Dishman Lane - as a ditty sung at the ceremony puts it, “from Nashville Road to Covington Grove” - a tract that Winn-Dixie tried to buy in 2002, she said.
“That's when we started looking to the senator for his help in acquiring an appropriation,” Landsen said.
Landowners Raymond Cravens and Owen Lawson are offering a generous payment schedule for Lost River, she said.
“They're helping us protect the land until we can get the money together,” Landsen said.
Cravens and Lawson also owned the cave and valley, and donated them to Western Kentucky University in 1985, she said.
Lost River is working out a master development plan now, which will include the 20-acre tract, Landsen said.
“Over the next year we'll be looking at the best use of the land,” she said.
Within two years, it should have trails connecting to the Greenways system, Landsen said.
www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2006/04/13/local_news/news/news10.txt
By JIM GAINES, The Daily News, jgaines@bgdailynews.com
“We love Lost River!” yelled students from Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School as they pulled out of the Lost River Cave & Valley parking lot Wednesday, after posing for pictures with U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell.
McConnell, R-Ky., came to Lost River to hand over a symbolic $800,000 check to Lost River Executive Director Rho Lansden, a federal appropriation he secured to help buy 20 acres of land adjoining the tourist attraction.
McConnell said a few years ago, he'd never heard of Lost River Cave. Some friends told him about it, and he came for a visit.
“Of course, viewing it is all it takes to realize what a unique natural phenomenon it is, right here in an urban area,” McConnell said.
That turned him into a supporter of the attraction, which offers boat tours through the cave and nature hikes through the valley to 70,000 visitors a year.
“It's both good for the environment and good for growth,” McConnell said.
McConnell's appropriation, announced more than a year ago, will cover half the cost of the land, Landsen said. The Friends of Lost River will seek more grants for the rest, or will have to put some of the proceeds from boat tours toward it, she said.
But the money will let Lost River put more of its income toward a new visitor education center and an array of environmental programs, Landsen said.
The land to be bought is along Dishman Lane - as a ditty sung at the ceremony puts it, “from Nashville Road to Covington Grove” - a tract that Winn-Dixie tried to buy in 2002, she said.
“That's when we started looking to the senator for his help in acquiring an appropriation,” Landsen said.
Landowners Raymond Cravens and Owen Lawson are offering a generous payment schedule for Lost River, she said.
“They're helping us protect the land until we can get the money together,” Landsen said.
Cravens and Lawson also owned the cave and valley, and donated them to Western Kentucky University in 1985, she said.
Lost River is working out a master development plan now, which will include the 20-acre tract, Landsen said.
“Over the next year we'll be looking at the best use of the land,” she said.
Within two years, it should have trails connecting to the Greenways system, Landsen said.
www.bgdailynews.com/articles/2006/04/13/local_news/news/news10.txt