Ohio County Tourism Garners Rising Sun A River Town Review

The hope is to obtaining an assessment of Rising Sun’s recreation resources by a team of professional planners.

Photo by Josh Claypool. 

(Rising Sun, Ind.) - Through a program offered by the National Park Service, the Ohio River Recreation Trail Executive Committee, and the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail Experience, the Ohio County Convention, Tourism and Visitors Commission (Ohio County Tourism) was a first round pick to receive a River Town Review for Rising Sun.

The River Town Review application was submitted by Kendal Miller, executive director of Ohio County Tourism, in hopes of obtaining an assessment of Rising Sun’s recreation resources by a team of professional planners. The goal of the program is to help improve outdoor recreation experiences for locals and tourists through evaluations, observations, and community/tourist input.

The Review team is made up of leaders from the National Park Service Rivers, Trails, & Conservation Assistance Program; the Ohio River Recreation Trail; and members from the Lewis & Clark Geotourism project team. Students from area Universities and volunteers will also be working on the project.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Rising Sun/Ohio County. The review consists of bringing in professionals who analyze what we already have and offers recommendations on how to improve our outdoor recreational experiences. This will be invaluable for locals and tourism in Ohio County,” said Miller. Tourism Commission President Jim McDaniel and Miller will serve as the contacts for the Review Team.

Since the announcement of the River Town Review, Miller has been in touch with local community partners including: the City of Rising Sun, Ohio County Community Foundation, Ohio County Economic Development Corporation, Ohio County Historical Society, Rising Sun Main Street, Rising Sun-Ohio County Parks and the Rising Sun Regional Foundation. Partners were encouraged to participate in the review and pass along the opportunity to potentially interested organizations.

Rising Sun’s River Town Review will begin in the fall of 2020, although some facets of the program may be delayed or reconfigured due to COVID-19 restrictions.