Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited three southern Ohio counties on Tuesday, October 20, to celebrate riverfront revitalization projects designed to boost tourism, improve public access to the Ohio River and support local economies. Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik joined them for stops in Meigs, Gallia and Lawrence counties.
In Meigs County, officials celebrated the grand opening of Court Street Commons in Pomeroy, a new pedestrian plaza outside the Meigs County Courthouse in the downtown. The $8.3 million project transformed a former two-lane roadway near the Ohio River into a public gathering space with a park, seating areas and a two-tier fountain, along with new curbs, sidewalks, lighting and expanded parking.
In Gallipolis, the governor joined local officials for a ribbon cutting marking completion of a $9 million riverfront revitalization project. The work includes a new dock capable of accommodating larger boats and upgrades to the community’s riverfront park. State officials said the project is meant to strengthen connections between the riverfront and downtown Gallipolis businesses, including shops and restaurants, and to attract more boaters traveling the Ohio River.
The final stop was in South Point, in Lawrence County, Ohio’s southernmost community. South Point received $1.2 million through the program to improve its riverfront, including a new dock designed for larger boats and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks connecting the parking lot to the waterfront. The Ironton Tribune reported the South Point work also included 130 feet of new riverfront by the boat dock and 120 feet of sea wall.
All three projects were funded through the Wonderful Waterfronts Initiative, part of the state’s $500 million Appalachian Community Grant Program proposed by the governor and approved by the General Assembly in 2022 for Ohio’s 32 Appalachian counties. DeWine announced Wonderful Waterfronts in 2024, and the initiative has awarded $204 million to projects that expand access to waterways, restore historic riverfront downtowns and create recreation and tourism opportunities.
DeWine said the improvements could help attract visitors to South Point and other destinations in Lawrence County, supporting economic activity throughout the region. Together, the three stops on the tour represent $18.5 million in completed riverfront investment, and state officials say the broader program is intended to turn Ohio River communities into destinations for residents, boaters and tourists while encouraging downtown development.
Photo: w_lemay, CC BY-SA 2.0