Editorial: Allegheny River locks have a good ripple effect

The Allegheny River is more than just a long ribbon of water.

It’s part of what defines Southwestern Pennsylvania. It played a role in the settlement of the area and in its growth. It gave birth to our communities and our industries. Cleaning it has been the task of generations and the investment of millions of dollars.

But it gives us something else. It gives us joy.

Recreation on the Allegheny River is important. And in the midst of a pandemic, it can be done safely, in just about the way things were before coronavirus hit. (Warmer weather would be nice.)

The Armstrong County commissioners are donating $15,000 to open five locks on the river for recreational boating in the county. The total cost will top $100,000.

The Allegheny River Development Corp. contracts with the U.S. Army Corps for the opening. But with fundraisers, including the “Rockin’ for Lockin’ ” event in 2020, disrupted by covid-19, not all of the money needed is in hand. More donations are needed, and the ARDC would like neighboring counties to kick in.

If there is a way to do so, the counties should contribute.

The river draws people from all over the area. It is a regional resource, not just a local asset.

So many events have been canceled in the past year and likely will be restricted in the months to come. Festivals and celebrations, picnics and parties. People have not been able to celebrate. They haven’t been able to have any of these little moments of normality. Even when an amusement park or a pool is open, the precautions required are a constant reminder the virus has changed the way we live.

But on a boat out on the water, none of that is necessary. The boat is its own social distancing. It is its own restrictive pod of people. Spend a day on a boat and that Saturday afternoon might be just the same as it was in 2019.

And from a completely practical perspective, it’s a good idea economically. Boats, after all, aren’t free. They cost money to buy and maintain. They use fuel. They prompt stocking with food and drink. They require hauling from surrounding communities to the river — which probably will mean a stop at a gas station and maybe a run through a drive-thru on the way.

According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, boating in Pennsylvania is a $3.8 billion industry that employs more than 18,000 people across 594 businesses.

Supporting opening the locks doesn’t just support a nonprofit with a niche goal. It supports the people and the community, and that’s something worthwhile for the counties — or other businesses and organizations — to do.