Louisville, Ky. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Barren River Lake, Glasgow, Ky., is announcing a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Corps’ Port Oliver Recreation Area at Barren River Lake, on Tuesday, May 29 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time. The dedication is open to the public. The ceremony will be held at the Amphitheater located at Port Oliver Recreation Area, Barren River Lake.  Park ranger led tours of the area will begin at 3 p.m. and run through approximately 4 p.m. Port Oliver is located off of Highway 252, on the Allen County side of Barren River Dam, and directly across from the Tailwater Campground entrance. 

The Port Oliver Recreation Area dedication officially recognizes completion of the project and will serve as a salute to state and local partnerships with a formal ceremony. The area has already been in use by the public. Sen. Mitch McConnell will be the guest speaker and Col. Luke Leonard, Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District commander, will give remarks.

The Port Oliver Recreation Area is unique to the area for several reasons.

“New recreation areas are few and far between – especially those with a state of the art amphitheatre - where the ceremony will take place,” said Carlos Lopez, Barren River Lake park manager. “We have a large recreating public at Barren River Lake with well over 1 million visitors a year. Many facilities were utilized beyond capacity, so this will help alleviate crowding and provide areas for large boating tournaments, safe and accessible shoreline fishing, a place for outdoor dramas and music events and additional picnic and playground facilities." 

An official ceremony had been pre-empted in the past due to high water challenges from flooding.

Louisville, Ky. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Barren River Lake, Glasgow, Ky., is announcing a dedication ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Corps’ Port Oliver Recreation Area at Barren River Lake, on Tuesday, May 29 at 4:30 p.m. Central Time. The dedication is open to the public. The ceremony will be held at the Amphitheater located at Port Oliver Recreation Area, Barren River Lake.  Park ranger led tours of the area will begin at 3 p.m. and run through approximately 4 p.m. Port Oliver is located off of Highway 252, on the Allen County side of Barren River Dam, and directly across from the Tailwater Campground entrance. 

The Port Oliver Recreation Area dedication officially recognizes completion of the project and will serve as a salute to state and local partnerships with a formal ceremony. The area has already been in use by the public. Sen. Mitch McConnell will be the guest speaker and Col. Luke Leonard, Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District commander, will give remarks.

The Port Oliver Recreation Area is unique to the area for several reasons.

“New recreation areas are few and far between – especially those with a state of the art amphitheatre - where the ceremony will take place,” said Carlos Lopez, Barren River Lake park manager. “We have a large recreating public at Barren River Lake with well over 1 million visitors a year. Many facilities were utilized beyond capacity, so this will help alleviate crowding and provide areas for large boating tournaments, safe and accessible shoreline fishing, a place for outdoor dramas and music events and additional picnic and playground facilities." 

An official ceremony had been pre-empted in the past due to high water challenges from flooding.