{"id":706012,"date":"2024-11-07T06:42:56","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T14:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=706012"},"modified":"2025-05-06T09:40:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T16:40:49","slug":"needleseye-park-climbing-spot","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/needleseye-park-climbing-spot","title":{"rendered":"Needleseye Park: GIS Helped Forge this Climbing Spot from Discovery to Construction"},"author":671,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[341,491902,487472,276572,204432],"industry":[],"esri-blog-category":[483332,478452],"esri_blog_department":[478222,478202],"class_list":["post-706012","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-economic-development","tag-land-acquisition","tag-parks-and-recreation","tag-public-works","tag-west-virginia","esri-blog-category-parks-and-recreation","esri-blog-category-smart-planning","esri_blog_department-conservation-and-environment","esri_blog_department-infrastructure"],"acf":{"video_source":"","video_start":"","video_stop":"","short_description":"In Oak Hill, West Virginia, GIS guided the development of Needleseye Park from its conception to opening and ongoing construction efforts.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":"Employees in Oak Hill, West Virginia, are using maps, imagery, and mobile apps to track the development and organization of Needleseye Park, providing stakeholders with greater transparency about the park's progress.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>When Oak Hill, West Virginia annexed the town of Minden, it acquired 300 acres of undeveloped land.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Detailed lidar data showed the cliffs and boulders, prompting city officials to develop the land into a recreational spot.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>From initial discovery through park development, GIS technology aided in creating an inventory of natural features, securing funding, and designing and developing the park.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Nestled among West Virginia's rolling hills, Needleseye Park is a 300-acre recreational haven. Ancient boulders, towering cliffs, and scenic trails weave through verdant forests, inviting outdoor enthusiasts from all corners of the country to hike, bike, and seek adventure.\r\n\r\nBut it wasn\u2019t always this way.\r\n\r\nFor most of the 20th century, an Appalachian-based land management company known for its mining operations owned the land.\r\n\r\nThe ownership of this land concealed its climbing potential from all but a small group of locals and early explorers who had discovered the climbing opportunities at Needleseye.\r\n\r\nThe park\u2019s formal development trace back to 2015 when the City of Oak Hill annexed the neighboring town of Minden and redrew its map. That\u2019s when Marvin Davis, Oak Hill\u2019s geographic information system (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/what-is-gis\/overview\">GIS<\/a>) coordinator at the time, noticed something special. On a 3D map informed by lidar data, Davis saw an impressive two-mile series of boulders and cliffs that looked perfect for outdoor recreation.\r\n\r\nThe map caught the attention of key stakeholders, including City Manager Bill Hannabass who called for an on-the-ground exploration. That exploration eventually led to the acquisition and development of what is now <a href=\"https:\/\/gis-cityoh.opendata.arcgis.com\/pages\/needleseye-park\">Needleseye Park<\/a>.\r\n\r\nFrom the first 3D map through data gathering and planning, the Oak Hill team has been guided by GIS technology.\r\n\r\n\"GIS helped make Needleseye a reality from the start,\" Davis said.\r\n<h3><strong>Visualizing What Needleseye Park Could Be<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nBefore exploring the idea of creating a park, the city needed a system to record survey trips and share the information. So, Davis created a mapping solution using the city\u2019s enterprise GIS technology. \u201cIt encouraged collaboration,\u201d he said. \u201cWe could share data with multiple stakeholders to get their buy-in and secure funding.\u201d"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":706022,"image_position":"right","orientation":"vertical","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Davis, Hannabass, and their teams collected field data and photographs for various park features, including cliffs, boulders, crags, and a cave. This data, layered on a GIS map, supported planning discussions. They worked with community experts such as professional climbers to determine suitable trails, rate the difficulty of climbing routes, and scout locations for trailheads and facilities. Davis also created a geospatial digital twin, a digital replica of the park that can support planning and operations.\r\n\r\nThe digital twin helped Oak Hill secure funding to conserve the park through the West Virginia Land Trust.\r\n<h3><strong>Foundational Tools for Park Construction<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nNeedleseye Park opened to the public in 2019 and is still a work in progress. But Tyler Bragg, the City of Oak Hill's GIS coordinator, said geospatial technologies are supporting nearly every aspect of the park's development.\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bragg and Josh Sapio, Oak Hill's inaugural Parks and Recreation director, have been utilizing GIS tools to gather data and oversee development. Each week, they collect data from contractors about the work they have completed. The team then use a GIS data collection app and a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver to record the exact location and details of new trail segments. This data <a href=\"https:\/\/cityoh.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/dashboards\/957f91c818224135a78e5835bc56abd2\">flows into a GIS dashboard almost immediately<\/a>, allowing all stakeholders to monitor trail construction progress.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The streamlined process helps ensure contractors are adhering to project timelines. The team also uses GIS to verify data in the contractors\u2019 reports, recording what each contractor is owed for features such as rock armor and retaining walls.<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[706042,706062,706032]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"Part of the park\u2019s construction management involves stormwater inspection surveys every four days or after every quarter inch of rainfall. Bragg digitized the process using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/arcgis-survey123\/overview?srsltid=AfmBOop3NxniIsoX81KDTO-urmMe3jw1BXcLzc4S15LnW94Vv-oolxJ_\">ArcGIS Survey123<\/a>, a mobile survey tool. The survey includes details such as inspector names, site addresses, and inspection types. Once the survey is completed, the app automatically generates and shares a report.\r\n\r\n\"If I can save somebody 10 minutes in their day, then that makes me feel like I've done something productive,\" Bragg said.\r\n\r\nAs projects develop, Bragg collects images for points of interest along with precise construction data. All this information, collected inside GIS, will be used to create the final trail map. Bragg also plans to create a climbing guidebook and a virtual trail network to help people preplan their visits.\r\n\r\n\"The mindset going into this is not just collecting data to get by right now, but, 'How can I use it later?',\" Bragg said. For instance, Bragg used GIS to create a road development plan and Sapio used the data to create an evacuation plan in case of emergency.\r\n\r\nGIS is also a collaboration tool, and Bragg said it is helping groups work together on shared park spaces. For instance, when the Fayette Trail Coalition received funding for a new trail, they designed a stacked loop for hiking and biking at different difficulty levels. At the same time, another group proposed a disc golf course. Bragg mapped both proposals and shared the map with the groups to find overlaps and make changes.\r\n\r\n\u201cEveryone was happy with the result,\" Bragg said.\r\n\r\nBragg emphasized that the park's development is a collaborative effort between municipal staff and local volunteers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newriverclimbing.net\/about-us.html\">The New River Alliance of Climbers<\/a> (NRAC), for instance, has been integral to the early stages of planning and site development.\r\n\r\n\"They provided critical knowledge of quality climbing areas within the park and continue to play a major role in the development of climbing and bouldering management policies,\" Bragg explained.\r\n\r\nHe added that the NRAC has also spearheaded volunteer efforts within the park, including the construction of the primary hiking trail to access the popular climbing areas. The group is also collaborating with Bragg and Sapio on ongoing development of the climbing guidebook.\r\n\r\n\"As the park develops, it is critical that the city also maintain the conservation easement placed on the park to ensure the most optimal and sustainable wilderness setting possible. Doing so will allow generations to come to enjoy the park,\u201d Sapio said."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":706112,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3><strong>Establishing a Framework for Needleseye's Future<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThroughout its journey from undiscovered treasure to popular climbing spot and local recreation attraction, <a href=\"https:\/\/cityoh.maps.arcgis.com\/apps\/Cascade\/index.html?appid=e21f331092db4250a15260a9d9da3886\">Needleseye Park<\/a> has proven that simple maps can reveal great stories.\r\n\r\nBragg says maps will continue to guide the park\u2019s operations. He plans to use GIS tools to plan signage and keep an inventory. Similar workflows will guide the creation of climbing routes, and support collaboration with the National Park Service to connect Needleseye via hiking trail to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.\r\n\r\nFor Sapio the park has offered a unique opportunity for the City of Oak Hill to bring additional recreational activities to the region within a municipal park setting.\r\n\r\n\u201cWith Oak Hill being in the heart of the New River Gorge National Park, the region is surrounded by opportunities for adventure recreation,\u201d Sapio said. \u201cUniquely, Needleseye promotes health and fitness for various user groups within a diverse municipal park setting while also providing a completely natural environment. To offer these activities in a sustainable, protected park setting creates a huge asset to the park system for Oak Hill residents and visitors.\u201d\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nLearn more about how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/industries\/environment-natural-resources\/focus-areas\/outdoor-recreation?srsltid=AfmBOors6LcIwJ9-IzoUyI-cabK9HlZ86aQVkm2WJ7gAaRyBnDXGYYzp\">GIS guides the planning and maintenance of public parks and outdoor recreation experiences<\/a>."},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":706102,"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":"https:\/\/gis-cityoh.opendata.arcgis.com\/pages\/needleseye-park"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Needleseye Park: GIS Helped Forge this Climbing Spot from Mapping to Construction<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In Oak Hill, West Virginia, GIS guided the 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