SCRANTON, Pa. — Sweeney's Beach along the Lackawanna River in Scranton is a serene spot on a hot summer day, but it didn't always use to be this way.
"This river was in deplorable condition when I was a kid growing up in the '50s and '60s," said Bernie McGurl, head of the Lackawanna River Conservation Association.
But not anymore. This year, the Lackawanna River completed its comeback mission by winning the Pennsylvania River of the Year contest. This is the third time the river has been nominated in the last 20 years but the first time it's finally won the top honor.
"We pulled in over 8,500 votes and that put us over the top this year."
McGurl says the story of the river is a story of recovery.
Everyone at Sweeney's Beach on Monday had a story of how poorly the river used to get treated years ago, but not on McGurl's watch.
"I think it's getting recognition to the work that we have been doing as a community for the last 33 years, and actually a bit longer," McGurl said.
The fact that the Lackawanna River is seen as a sort of underdog in the state of Pennsylvania makes this recognition even more meaningful.
"The Lackawanna really came from such a degraded state to what it is now so to be able to designate the Lackawanna as River of the Year is really special to me. It's really the most improved river over the past decade," said Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The conservation association will receive a $10,000 grant from the state to fund several River of the Year activities including a commemorative paddling trip.