An area effort to revive the Dover Coated Bridge is underway in Mason County.
Throughout a latest Mason County Fiscal Courtroom assembly, Ann Porter, with the Mason County Extension Homemakers, Lori Ulrich, chair of the Buffalo Hint Wooden Coated Bridge Authority and Maysville-Mason County Tourism Director Katelyn Bailey spoke to the commissioners concerning the state of the coated bridge.
In keeping with Porter, the Dover Coated Bridge is the oldest remaining wood coated bridge within the state of Kentucky.
“It wants assist,” she mentioned. “I really feel like, due to the Fleming County bridges being fastened, that is the time for us to hit for cash. We have to protect this for tourism. When you will have one thing like this, you might want to present this off. I’m embarrassed to, after I do excursions, to take them to the Dover bridge. You may barely see it, a lot much less get shut sufficient to take footage.”
Porter mentioned the Mason County Homemakers are concerned within the effort to restore the bridge. They’re engaged on petitions and letters to garner curiosity for the repairs.
“We actually, really want to attempt to save this bridge. I’m a Dover woman. I’ve been round that bridge my total life and I wish to see that it stays,” she mentioned. “I don’t wish to see any bridge go. That’s historical past and our youngsters won’t ever know what a wood coated bridge is that if we don’t save them. It will assist tourism, it can assist our complete neighborhood. We have to save this bridge.”
Porter offered petitions to the commissioners for folks to signal.
“It doesn’t matter in the event that they dwell someplace within the state, as a result of this ought to be a state undertaking,” she mentioned.
Porter mentioned the petitions might be returned to Ulrich or the Cox Constructing workplace.
Ulrich mentioned that primarily based on previous bridge restorations, the price of the bridge restore could also be anyplace from $1 million to $1.5 million.
“That’s to get Dover again to the place it must be,” she mentioned. “As Ann mentioned, there may be important curiosity within the state of Kentucky to rehabilitate these bridges. Clearly, now we have Grange Metropolis in Fleming County that’s on the point of be restored. There was dialogue on Ringos. It’s a finances right here in Kentucky, so we have to get our identify on the roll and ensure we’re thought of. We have to band collectively as a neighborhood. It’s going to take your entire neighborhood’s assist. We’ve already misplaced one bridge right here and we don’t wish to lose our final one.”
In keeping with Porter, throughout the native space, there are solely seven coated bridges remaining.
In keeping with Ulrich, the Dover Coated Bridge was stabilized a number of years in the past by Arnold Graton.
“We have been advised, at the moment, that the stabilization would final for just a few years,” she mentioned. “However we nonetheless wish to act as quickly as attainable to make it possible for we don’t lose the final coated bridge now we have in Mason County.”
Bailey mentioned there will likely be a social media marketing campaign pushed out quickly.
“We developed a emblem for the coated bridges,” she mentioned. “We’re going to be doing a little letterhead and stickers. We will even have t-shirts. The social media marketing campaign will likely be began quickly. There will likely be a Fb web page.”
As a part of the marketing campaign, the hashtag #savedovercoveredbridge will likely be used.
In keeping with Bailey, there are about 15 to twenty coated bridge excursions every year, which she anticipates will improve when the riverboats begin staying on the town for an extended time-frame subsequent 12 months.
“Folks find it irresistible,” she mentioned. “They spend a number of hours and take the time to see all seven bridges in our space.”
Mason County Choose-Govt Owen McNeill mentioned the bride is necessary to Mason County and helps the efforts to reserve it.
“Mason County has such genuine historical past and the Dover Picket Coated Bridge is a major instance. Mason County Fiscal Courtroom is proud to assist the initiative underway by petitioning Kentucky to help with the restoration. In some unspecified time in the future, we’ll lose the initiative and the Dover Bridge is deserving given the truth that it’s age and historic significance. Fiscal Courtroom is proud to assist this initiative petitioning for funding,” McNeill mentioned. “Mrs Ann Porter and the Mason County Homemakers picked the Bridge as their central marketing campaign this 12 months. Joined by Lori Ulrich, chair of the Buffalo Hint Picket Bridge Authority and Mrs. Bailey with Tourism, they’ve shaped a formidable advocacy staff to focus on the plight of Dover’s Bridge.”