By TAYLOR BROWN
After being pulled from the water in 2018, a portion of the kayak launch in Charleroi remains on land, nearly hidden by overgrown weeds and covered in graffiti — but residents and council members disagree on why.
The EZ Dock Canoe/Kayak launch was installed off Second Street in the borough in 2017 through a grant from the Mon River Town Program in conjunction with Washington County.
Docks were also installed through the program in Monongahela and Fredericktown.
The launch, designed to provide recreational opportunities, quickly brought controversy to council as safety hazards and vandalism came to the forefront.
Shortly after being installed, the dock and signs surrounding it began to be vandalized with spray paint.
Several weeks after the installation in September 2017, firefighters pulled a man from the Monongahela River after he overdosed near the launch, creating safety and liability concerns despite signs posted in the area warning river-goers of risks.
It was never determined if the man was using the launch or fell into the water from a different area of the river.
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