This year, the Kentucky State Park system is celebrating its milestone 100th anniversary. On Saturday, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park joined in on the festivities by hosting an event where visitors could hear from special guest speakers, take part in several different outdoor activities, and of course, visit and appreciate the majestic waterfall itself.
Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Parks Ron Vanover was at the Falls Saturday, offering some words during a special opening ceremony inside the DuPont Lodge. Before guests were treated to a piece of a giant “100th birthday” cake, Vanover gave a brief overview of the history of the state’s park system and shared several personal stories from his own career.
“Today, we’re here to celebrate our 100th anniversary,” Vanover said. “That is super for this park system, and we have a lot to be very proud of.”
“Over the last 100 years, our parks have been identified and executed through many legislative sessions,” Vanover continued. “In the last two legislative sessions, between Governor Beshear and our legislature, I am happy to report that we have received $150 million for upkeep, which our parks need.”
Vanover added that an additional $100 million in funding has been line-itemed to Kentucky State Parks before announcing that Cumberland Falls State Resort Park will soon be receiving $10 million to fund extensive renovations to the DuPont Lodge facility.
Vanover also mentioned that efforts are currently underway to completely overhaul the park’s sewage plant system.
Park Manager Maggy Monhollen said these upgrades will play an important role in the overall guest experience, saying, “These are critical investments what will help us continue to achieve our mission and serve our customers to the level that we want to serve them. These improvements are going to help us to increase the quality of the guest experience, and in our industry, that means everything because guest satisfaction is number one.”
As for being able to host a centennial celebration after just four months on the job as park manager, Monhollen said she considers it a blessing. “I have been blessed throughout my whole career to bring quality of life experiences and memories to people all over the region,” she said. “I think that this event is probably the biggest opportunity that I have had to do that. It fills my heart with so much joy to be a part of the Kentucky State Parks’ mission, and to be a part of carrying that forward.”
For more information on happenings at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, follow along with them on social media or visit them on the official Kentucky State Parks website at www.parks.ky.gov.
