Community Members Get Sneak Peek at Whitewater Canal Preservation Project

A community event was held at the historic site earlier this week

Photo by Whitewater Canal State Historic Site

(Metamora, Ind.) - Community members gathered at the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site on Monday to celebrate an upcoming preservation project at the site. 

In April, the Indiana State Budget Committee approved the release of an additional $7.4 million for repair and rehabilitation work at the Whitewater Canal Historical Site. 

This comes after the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site received a commitment from the state for a $7 million READI 2.0 matching grant in January, bringing the total project investment to $14.4 million. 

RELATED: Additional Funding Secured for Whitewater Canal Preservation Project

This week, community members got a look at what the future holds for the historic site. 

Funding will be used to:

• Reinforce and restore the Laurel Feeder Dam Gate and masonry
• Canal dredging and cleanup from Laurel Feeder Dam to Lock 24
• Structural repairs to reinforce and restore Duck Creek Aqueduct and its masonry abutments
• Reinforce and restore the Lock 24 masonry walls and gate structures

"We’re excited to start this important work to restore and preserve Whitewater Canal for future generations. We are so grateful to the State of Indiana, the Southeastern Indiana Regional Economic Acceleration Development Initiative and I Love Metamora, Inc for their support throughout this process," reads a statement from Whitewater Canal State Historic Site.

A project start date has not been announced. 

The Whitewater Canal State Historic Site will be posting updates on the project at (9) Facebook. 

See photos from Monday's event below.