Sepia colored photo taken of Cumberland boatyard workers standing among various boats within their shop area during the canal operational era - circa 1880-90's.

Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan Update and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP Cumberland Boatyard and Rewatering EA

Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park » Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan Update and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP Cumberland Boatyard and Rewatering EA » Document List

The Canal Place Authority, in partnership with the National Park Service (Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park), and the City of Cumberland, Maryland, is undertaking an update for the Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan. As components of the Heritage Area Management Plan, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP will undertake an environmental assessment to evaluate potential park projects within the Heritage Area and the City of Cumberland will undertake updates to their Downtown Plan.

In 1993 the Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority was created by the State of Maryland to oversee the management of the Canal Place Preservation District. In 1996 the Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan was developed, which identified major rehabilitation and restoration projects. With the 1996 plan expiring, a new plan must be undertaken.

In 2003, the Army Corps of Engineers, in cooperation with the National Park Service, conducted an environmental assessment for the park's canal terminus area in Cumberland, Maryland. That document evaluated restoration of the canal terminus and rewatering of the canal between Wiley Ford and the terminus. The current proposed project will evaluate the restoration of a historic boatyard plus the feasibility of rewatering to Offutt Street. To date, only a portion of the projects evaluated within the earlier environmental assessment have been implemented. The proposed environmental study would re-evaluate outstanding projects to ensure that environmental aspects have not changed. The proposed document will include evaluation of park property within Allegany County, Maryland as part of the Heritage Area. The environmental assessment will be a component for the Heritage Area Management Plan.

The Downtown Design and Development Plan for the City of Cumberland will be updated to reflect consistency with the goals and objectives of the larger certified heritage area, as developed under the Canal Place Heritage Area Management Plan. Some of the Downtown Plan components to be evaluated include; Streetscapes, Image, Identity, Visibility, Infrastructure Conditions, Signage, Parking, Pedestrian and Bicycle Enhancements/Circulation, Utilities, Traffic, Retail Development, and Residential Redevelopment.

This website will host information on all of the projects listed above. As project information becomes available for public review, it will be posted. The public will be able to register comments during specified public review periods through this website.


Contact Information

For further information regarding this project, please contact;

Brandi Rosselli, AICP
Manager of Planning Services
Mackin Engineering
RIDC Park West
117 Industry Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275