Buchanan Town Council and some town residents met in a called work session Monday evening to talk about what to do with the partially opened gauge dock next to the Town Park on Lowe Street. They also looked at the dock area.

The James River & Kanawha Canal (JR&KC) gauge dock is a prominent feature in the 1850s Edward Byer painting of Buchanan, and was partially uncovered a couple of years ago as a possible historic tourist attraction.

One end of the dock was found, and it was discovered that the dock is unique in how it was built and stabilized, but council has concerns about the appearance of what has become an overgrown area at the Town Park.

Council agreed that a committee headed by Councilman Mike Burton should provide a plan for tidying up the area by its September meeting, then develop a plan that includes various options for dealing with the gauge dock.

Council members agreed to visit Scottsville’s Canal Basin Square, and JR&KC park and interpretive center. Council members also talked about paying for more work excavating the dock, what that might look like, maintenance and liability costs and the effect James River flooding may have on the dock.

Council acknowledged that it should proceed with building a pavilion on the Town Park to house a replica batteau that’s been given to the town. Funding for the pavilion comes from town and county matching funds.