Faculty and students from West Virginia University recently toured McDowell County.
The university is providing money and assistance with a number of projects across Welch. Gordon Gee, President of West Virginia University, said the goal is to promote outdoor activities and a healthy lifestyle.
“I think that it’s important for people to know that if they control their health, they control their future,” said Gee.
The projects will use walking trails to connect Linkous Park to other recreational space in the area. Plans are in place to build a coal mining park, ATV park, and revamp existing walking trails. The Mayor of Welch, Harold McBride, hopes the new outdoor spaces will provide more opportunities for families to spend time outside and influence people to move to Welch.
“In order to do that and enhance that, it’s called quality of living, and we have to have those kinds of things also, so that’s what we’re working toward,” McBride said.
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