By Chris Erwin
If you haven’t heard of this group, it wouldn’t be too surprising since the group is relatively new.
Cary Lyle, manager of Greenbo State Park, has asked me to let you know about the group and its mission.
In his words, “Our goal is to maintain, preserve and enhance the natural resources at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park while using our natural resources in a responsible and eco-friendly way to promote and enhance tourism to our region, which will give us more of a direct and indirect economic impact on Greenbo Lake and our community. New money means new jobs and possible new businesses that cater to the tourism industry that the Friends group is trying to maintain, preserve and enhance.”
After talking to both Lyle and Bobby Allen, the tourism director of Greenup County, I thought I would let you know what this group is all about and how you can join the group if you would like to get involved.
The friends group is a non-profit organization that is working with the management of the state park to improve it. They are working on a few projects you may have heard of. One is the zip line project, and another is the Scuba project. This group is also set up to take contributions for any of the projects they are trying to get off the ground. If you would like to become a member, membership is free; contact the group by calling Bobby Allen 606-834-0007 or go to http://www.tourgreenupcounty.com and fill out the contact sheet.
To date, the zip line project is still in the bidding stage. I understand that they have three bidders on the project. As more information becomes available, I will pass it along. It looks to be some time before this project advances to the construction phase.
The Scuba project has drawn some concerns from fishermen, who wonder if the lake is going to become a scuba lake. This is what Allen told me about the project. The area park officials want to set aside for scuba diving is the area that used to be the old beach. This would comprise of about eight to 10 acres. The water in that area ranges from very shallow to about 22 feet. This is the only part of the lake that would be used for diving.
Officials believe it could become a revenue stream that could help improve the park and its ability to invest in other projects. Lyle and Allen told me that they wanted to improve the fishing not hurt it. They think by adding new features to Greenbo they can help make it a more attractive destination for tourism. It’s apparent that this non-profit group has the park best interest at heart. One way you can have an input is to join the group and voice your opinion while helping to improve the park.
Greenbo has had a long history of public involvement, and this is your chance to get involved. This small state park offers much more than most of its size including: tennis, swimming, a lodge, boat ramp, camping, fishing, boating, hiking, horseback riding, miniature golf, and an outdoor theater. The list is a long one, adding more things to do can only help it.
While I tend to focus on the fishing at this little jewel nestled in the heat of Eastern Kentucky, there is much more here to enjoy. I hope that you take the time this summer to visit Greenbo State Park Resort and take in all the park has to offer.
Till Next Time
Good Fishing!
Chris Erwin is the founder and publisher of Kentucky Angling News an online, outdoor magazine available at www.KentuckyAngling.com/magazine.
Additional public meeting on proposal to allow diving in Greenbo Lake set for April 12
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will hold a second public meeting April 12 to further discuss a proposal to allow SCUBA diving within a 10-acre section of Greenbo Lake in Greenup County. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern time at the Greenbo Lake State Resort Park lodge.
The proposal calls for creation of a public diving area in a cove to provide additional recreational opportunities. Divers would be allowed to use the area from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., April through October. The area would be open for angling at other times. The proposal includes habitat and shoreline improvements. Any interested parties are urged to attend and participate as input from the meeting will largely influence Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s decision concerning this proposal.
Media Contact: Dave Baker 1-800-858-1549, ext. 4454
I am an active scuba diver living in Ironton, Ohio. I am new to the area (began my priestly assignment here last June), and am looking to do a lot of diving this summer. I definitely support the proposal for creating a public diving area.
I don’t know if I can make the meeting April 12, but please count me “in!”
God Bless, and I hope to correspond with someone soon.
Fr. Mark A. purcell
Mark, I hope to attend the meeting and I may have some update at that time.
Chris Erwin
Kentucky Angling News
Thanks Chris!
This is a slap in the face to every angler in the state. Greenbo lake is the home to two state record bass it was not built for scuba diving it was built by sportsman for sportsman.If any one thinks this is good for the lake then they should never fish again.[divers can build there own lake]Sportsman pay for the lake not divers.
***The fish could care less that we are there***
***Divers do not inhibit fishing***
***Divers are ecologically conscious and make any lake they use cleaner and more secure. Ask any member of the Corp Of Engineers. They freakin love us!!***
The fishermen didn’t build the lake… The state parks did. And the divers that web in and did a cleanup of about 1 acre of that lake, pulled 100 lbs of the crap that “fishermen” left to poison the lake. The lake isn’t just for fishermen, it’s for the people of this country to enjoy.
Just to note, the scuba diving will not be all over the lake but only in the area of the old beach, which was built for something other than fishing to begin with. but Raymond I would suggest attending the next meeting and voice your concerns. I’m a fisherman not a scuba diver and as a journalist I try to keep the public informed. When I looked at all sides of this issue I don’t see this hurting the fishing,since it was confined to such a small area with the main interest focused on training, but I have been assured that if it does, the scuba diving would be discontinued.
Chris Erwin
Kentucky Angling News
Its not the idea of what it is going to be used for it the idea of sportsman giving up fishing waters.as i said before they can build there own lake.
There are two sides to every story it seems like on one wants to here my side about the money from marathon oil and the training that took place the last couple years .No diving permits issued for greenbo lake read [301 kar 1:040,6:030 and 301 kar 1:012 section 6.
Raymond,
We are not taking a side, we are here as a service to people that love the outdoors and we try to give anyone a chance to comment on any story that is published here. for or against… They are about 50,000 visitors a month to Kentucky Angling so while your comment will get read, if you want to talk to the people that make the decisions. I would suggest attending one of the FOGBSP meeting… We report, we are not involved in any decision making.
Sorry
The old swimming area was for swimming if you could scuba dive in four feet of water inside the roped area i guess you could i swam there a lot you could do any thing if the life guards did not see you and i did just about every thing.I sent the friends of greenbo a message that i could have done a lot more than i did and now i quit and i wish them luck with there new venture.
This is off topic but maybe I can get an answer here. We’ll be visiting Greenbo Lake in June (live in Europe, visiting the US for a month) we love swimming but hear it’s forbidden in Greenbo Lake, looks like it once was allowed so why the change??
Marie,
At one time Greenbo lake had a swimming area in the lake behind the lodge it was invaded by geese and the health concerns forced Greenbo to close the beach. They have since build a large pool that is also right near the lodge, while the geese are no longer a problem the pool has become very popular, and it is the old swimming area that they want to become the scuba area, and by the way it has receive approval for the first reading, this would be a trial period and most likely won’t be started until next spring.
Thanks for your answer…can you tell me why it’s still forbidden to swim if there’s no health issue anymore? I know about the pool and I don’t mean to be a pain but we really like swimming in any kind of water 🙂
I’m really not sure,other than the beach was a protected area (no boats) it was a issue for a very long time (not swimming in the lake)and I would say it was to aid law enforcement, but I’m sure, when you visit you can ask someone at the lodge and see if any of the rules on swimming have changed… as far as I know they haven’t.
Thanks. It’s no big deal, we are staying for 3 nights and the two pools will be enough for us 🙂 We are not really there for swimming anyways, looks like it’s a beautiful park. It will be fun to visit.
I’m sure you will have a good time, while Greenbo is a small lake it has a lot to do,and the people are very friendly…
I am a PADI Scuba Instructor in Paintsville Ky. I was looking at what you have done at Greenbo and was thinking about doing the same here. That is before i seen your daily user fee. I trying to figure out what the daily fee is for because im sure your boaters and swimers at the lake do not pay this fee, if it was a yearly fee like a fishing license i would under stand.
Could you please explane to me why your divers are being punished? If you can charge daily user fees on divers im sure your fishermen wont care to kick in the daily user fees for the fish they catch.
Tim,
We are not connected to Greenbo State Park, we are outdoor journalist covering what is going on in Kentucky you are welcome to Call Greenbo and ask them what the fees are used for… but in fairness Greenbo wasn’t built by the State it was built by volunteers and then given to the state, much has been added since then. I do know that the diving area is where the old beach was something they did charge for when it was open, and I have no idea what the cost was to revamp this area to make it suitable for diving. However, the fisherman are paying fees, in Boat license, fishing license, trout tag,along with a tax on gear. It was the friends of Greenbo that set this up(a group of divers) and it was them that felt like the fee’s were needed to maintain the area. but like I said, if you want to know more call them.