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Canal Place seeks $28 million River Park; authority reports $8.5 million in grants and plans dam removal work
Summary
The Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority told the subcommittee the River Park at Canal Place project has raised $8.5 million in grants, is estimated at $28 million, and includes contaminated sediment removal and fish‑passage work; design and sediment testing procurements are upcoming.
The Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority told the House Appropriations Committee Transportation and the Environment Subcommittee that its River Park project is advancing: the authority estimates the project at $28 million, has raised roughly $8.5 million in grants, and plans design, sediment testing and dam removal work intended to improve water quality and public access.
Project status and funding: Samuel Quist of the Department of Legislative Services summarized the Canal Place budget, noting the agency’s FY26 operating allowance increases modestly and that personnel and facilities maintenance are the largest operating items. Executive Director Deirdre Ritchie said the authority has hired a Maryland‑based project management firm, issued an RFP for engineering and land‑based amenities (award expected in March), and is rebidding a sediment testing contract after initial bids were too high.
Environmental and economic details: Ritchie said the River Park project includes removal of contaminated sediment in the North Branch of the Potomac River, improving water quality and enabling fish passage. “This project … is also a water quality project because we're gonna be removing contaminated sediment from the North Branch of Potomac River,” Ritchie told the subcommittee. The authority has completed an economic‑impact study that projects more than 1 million additional visitors to Allegany County and more than $41 million in state and local tax impact if the park is completed.
Grants and schedule: Ritchie said the authority has secured about $8.5 million in grant funding to date and received $1.5 million from the state capital budget. She said the authority is pursuing additional grants and hopes to complete permitting and construction by 2028 if approvals proceed as planned.
Ending: The subcommittee accepted the DLS recommendation to concur with the governor’s allowance for Canal Place. Authority leaders asked for continued grant support and said they would return with bid results and permitting updates as the design and sediment testing procurements proceed.
