Jim Decker, President/CEO of the county’s lead economic development agency, the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry, won’t argue that the launch will provide “operational efficiencies” for Allegheny Outfitters.

But is the characterization that the launch will only benefit riverfront businesses fair?

“Absolutely not,” Decker said.

“The area they use now at the confluence of the Conewango has a large sand/gravel bar that extends almost halfway out into the Allegheny,” he explained. “Coming downstream and exiting there you have to go downstream on the Pleasant Twp side of the river and cut back upstream on the city side to get to the take-out spot.

By JOSH COTTON jcotton@timesobserver.com There has been a percolating criticism that a boat launch along the Allegheny River in downtown Warren only stands to benefit a couple of businesses in the area. Jim Decker, President/CEO of the county’s lead economic development agency, the Warren County Chamber of Business & Industry, won’t argue that the launch will provide “operational efficiencies” for Allegheny Outfitters. But is the characterization that the launch will only benefit riverfront businesses fair? “Absolutely not,” Decker said. “The area they use now at the confluence of the Conewango has a large sand/gravel bar that extends almost halfway out into the Allegheny,” he explained. “Coming downstream and exiting there you have to go downstream on the Pleasant Twp side of the river and cut back upstream on the city side to get to the take-out spot. “From there the boats have to be dragged over to about an 8 foot bank — no steps, just a bank — to get up to the dirt parking lot level, loaded onto their trailers and driven back to the other end of the block to the store,” he explained. Decker said any benefit needs to be balanced “with the fact that they are responsible for putting over 8,000 canoes and kayaks on the river a year, and that’s on a bad year weather wise!” Those individuals “regardless of whether they are local residents or tourists, is a prospective customer of every business in town,” he stressed. “I feel strongly that improving the overall experience for each of those individuals by improving community assets and resources does nothing but encourage them to consider hanging around a bit longer after their float down the river and seeing what else great they can find.” It’s a much broader view of the economic impact that the $2 million project could bring. The price tag includes not only a boat launch but many infrastructure repairs to that stretch of the riverfront. “Part of the project planning process includes development and installation of signage and mapping that tells people where the other businesses are within the community,” he explained. “Making themselves known to these people through focused advertising and marketing will help to ensure that they too are helped by the improvements and increased traffic.” The question becomes just how far that economic impact will reach. Decker views that reach as much greater than the riverfront. “Definitely throughout the business district and along Pennsylvania Ave. both east and west,” he said. “With the Hampton Inn, this brings the Walmart area into play as well. “(The) bottom line is to create a vibrant area that is attractive to people coming to the region to make them want to visit,” he explained. “when that happens anything along the path to get there comes into visibility to them.” He highlighted the connection of this project as part of the PA Wilds Build Back Better grant as another potential benefit. He said that “ongoing connection” creates an environment “so our project and our community gets highlighted to people who love the outdoors that are visiting the Wilds out east. “(The) key is to do it great and make it attractive for them to keep coming west!” he said. “It’s more than ‘build it and they will come’ but building it is definitely step one in the process.

“From there the boats have to be dragged over to about an 8 foot bank — no steps, just a bank — to get up to the dirt parking lot level, loaded onto their trailers and driven back to the other end of the block to the store,” he explained.

Decker said any benefit needs to be balanced “with the fact that they are responsible for putting over 8,000 canoes and kayaks on the river a year, and that’s on a bad year weather wise!”

Those individuals “regardless of whether they are local residents or tourists, is a prospective customer of every business in town,” he stressed. “I feel strongly that improving the overall experience for each of those individuals by improving community assets and resources does nothing but encourage them to consider hanging around a bit longer after their float down the river and seeing what else great they can find.”

It’s a much broader view of the economic impact that the $2 million project could bring. The price tag includes not only a boat launch but many infrastructure repairs to that stretch of the riverfront.

“Part of the project planning process includes development and installation of signage and mapping that tells people where the other businesses are within the community,” he explained. “Making themselves known to these people through focused advertising and marketing will help to ensure that they too are helped by the improvements and increased traffic.”

The question becomes just how far that economic impact will reach.

Decker views that reach as much greater than the riverfront.

“Definitely throughout the business district and along Pennsylvania Ave. both east and west,” he said. “With the Hampton Inn, this brings the Walmart area into play as well.

“(The) bottom line is to create a vibrant area that is attractive to people coming to the region to make them want to visit,” he explained. “when that happens anything along the path to get there comes into visibility to them.”

He highlighted the connection of this project as part of the PA Wilds Build Back Better grant as another potential benefit.

He said that “ongoing connection” creates an environment “so our project and our community gets highlighted to people who love the outdoors that are visiting the Wilds out east.

“(The) key is to do it great and make it attractive for them to keep coming west!” he said. “It’s more than ‘build it and they will come’ but building it is definitely step one in the process.