SUNBURY - Plans for the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area sped into high gear in 2011 as pieces started falling into place for the off-highway vehicle park on 6,500 acres of land in Coal, East Cameron, Mount Carmel, West Cameron and Zerbe townships.
In mid-December, Gov. Tom Corbett announced Northumberland County will receive $1.5 million in state money to further develop the park, the largest amount awarded by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), which allocated $31.5 million for 218 conservation and recreation projects designed to protect natural resources and revitalize communities across the state.
This year also saw the final public meeting of the master plan in July as well as the adoption of a resolution by county commissioners in early December approving the master site development plan.
Additionally, the county received $300,000 in July from the federal Appalachian Regional Commission to construct a 1,280-foot paved road from Route 125 south of Burnside to AOAA's welcome center and educational facility on the east side of the highway as well as a $20,000 Yamaha Off-Highway Vehicle Access Initiative Grant for trail development, mapping and signage; a $10,000 Polaris TRAILS Program grant for trail design and development, and $400,000 in 2010 from DCNR snowmobile and ATV fund.
The park has motorized and non-motorized recreation enthusiasts so excited that they're planning events on the land even though ground has yet to be broken for construction. In November, Jeep Jamboree USA added an event called "Coal Mountain" to their schedule on Aug. 3 and 4.
Even opposition of the park seems to have decreased when The News-Item took a poll of 468 people in July and 63.89 percent said it was a great idea and the county should build it.