Luzerne County Government

March 16, 2010

Heritage park grant sought

By Jennifer Learn-Andes jandes@timesleader.com
Luzerne County Reporter
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Luzerne County commissioners are trying to get another grant to buy 107 acres needed to create the historic Ashley Planes Heritage Park.

The county had to return the original $130,000 grant because of delays acquiring the land.

The property owner, Reading Co., had contested the county’s eminent domain proceedings and then backed out of plans to lease the land to the county, county officials said.

Commissioners plan to vote Wednesday to apply for a land purchase grant through the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The Ashley Planes is a series of steep inclined planes along what is now Route 309. The three inclined planes were used from 1843 to 1948 to move millions of tons of coal from the Wyoming Valley floor to the top of the Wilkes-Barre Mountain.

The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of the planes’ significance to transportation and engineering history, particularly during Northeastern Pennsylvania’s anthracite era.

Commissioners approved an agreement with the nonprofit Earth Conservancy in 2002 to develop and operate the park. Park kiosks and other amenities will be funded with a $1 million government earmark, but county officials say this money won’t cover the land purchase.

County Planning/Zoning Office Director Adrian Merolli said he doesn’t want to proceed with land condemnation until a new grant is secured because the county doesn’t have the money.

“We still think – and the state does, too – that this is a very viable project,” Merolli said.

Earth Conservancy is donating about 250 acres of its land to the project.

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