All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Most participants in Riverwalk survey want to see it connected to larger trail system

A floral installation at the Elizabeth J. 'Binky' Poundstone Riverwalk Trail

BUCKHANNON – A survey conducted by the City of Buckhannon’s summer intern found that most people had positive responses to the Elizabeth J. “Binky” Poundstone Riverwalk and a few suggestions to make it better.

Josh Trent, city hall’s summer intern, conducted two surveys during his time with the city and the first was to get opinions about the Riverwalk.

“I’m currently an MBA student at Wesleyan, in my last semester,” Trent said. “Classes have already started – we’re online, and I needed an internship this summer that would be challenging and teach me some lessons and give me some experience.”

The Riverwalk survey had 332 responses with 15 questions. One question asked people how they utilize the Riverwalk.

“Walking, jogging and dog-walking tend to be the most popular, and we added in scooter riding and biking as well, and some other free responses we got were playing ball, fishing and even birding,” Trent said. “I have friends that actually go birding, and I didn’t know that was a thing.”

His research showed the Riverwalk is most popular in the evening, between 6 and 9 p.m., with the morning being the second most popular between 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the afternoon being the least popular.

“The summer is the most popular, and winter is the least when it’s cold outside, but it did surprise me [the Riverwalk] was used more in the fall than the spring. I just thought that was interesting,” Trent said. “I figured people would want to get out in the spring.”

Of the 332 responses, 102 people go the Riverwalk about once a week, 184 people go a few times a week and about 40 people go every day.

“Eighty-three percent of people wanted to see a connection onto the trails system and of those people, almost 150 people chose the mountain biking trail at the high school,” Trent said.

“The big question that I had was what people disliked about the Riverwalk, and there’s a lot of comments, so I made a list of the 10 I saw most frequently,” he added.

The list included a need for more trash pickup along walkways; sometimes people do not feel safe and it needs more policing; lighting along walkways; uneven pathways; restrooms and stops undermaintained; no play area for kids; walkway traffic and flow; vegetation does not allow for a view of the river; and a lack of drinking fountains.

“All that being said, people generally love the Riverwalk,” Trent said. “We had a lot more positive comments than we did negative …there’s more responses for the ‘what do you like about the Riverwalk?’ question, than the ‘what do you dislike about the Riverwalk?’”

The next survey he arranged asked people how they felt the city communicated during the COVID-19 lockdown.

“This one had a higher completion rate, but it only had 66 total responses,” Trent said. “I spent about the same amount of time, but I guess it just didn’t catch as much interest,” Trent said. “The most skipped question was ‘what could the city improve upon during another shutdown?’ so, you can take that as a good sign – you guys did a good job because people didn’t really have anything to say.”

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Upshur County Relay for Life aims to raise $35,000 for cancer research on July 19

The Upshur County Relay for Life will host its annual event July 19 at Jawbone Park, aiming to raise $35,000 for cancer research while celebrating survivors and bringing the community together through activities and remembrance ceremonies.

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital team members engage in statewide healthcare leadership program

Two WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital employees were honored by the West Virginia Hospital Association Leadership Academy, with Paula Cutright graduating and Matthew Scott selected for future participation in the statewide healthcare leadership program.

Post 7 drops outings to Doddridge and Morgantown

Buckhannon Post 7 suffered consecutive road defeats, falling 10-2 to Doddridge County and 11-0 to Morgantown Post 2, dropping their season record to 2-15.

Summer basketball league begins week two

The Upshur County Summer Basketball League entered its second week with standout performances from top scorers including Cory Harper, Dalton Hamrick, Cordell Nicola, and Vinny Snuffer leading their teams across multiple games.

Buckhannon City Council Special Meeting Agenda: July 15, 2025

The Buckhannon City Council has released the agenda for its special meeting scheduled for July 15, 2025.

BCT to light up the stage with Mamma Mia starting this weekend

Buckhannon Community Theatre will present the musical Mamma Mia! at the Colonial Arts Center starting July 12, featuring ABBA hits, lively performances, and a cast assembled from across the region.

St. Joseph’s Hospital supports healthy habits with mile-long midday walks

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital has launched a noon walk initiative, inviting staff and community members to join daily one-mile walks to promote physical activity and improve health outcomes.

John Paul Ingram

John Paul Ingram, 83, a beloved Buckhannon resident, ordained minister, and avid outdoorsman who shared his faith and kindness with many, died July 6, 2025, surrounded by his family.

Wesleyan finishes seventh in MEC Commissioners Cup standings

West Virginia Wesleyan finished seventh in the 2024-25 Mountain East Conference Commissioner’s Cup standings, while the University of Charleston captured its eighth consecutive and tenth overall title for all-around athletic excellence.