Pell City — Mayor Rusty Jessup said he and the town council are “pumped” about being granted a $50,000 grant for Riverside Landing.

“We know exactly what we’re gonna use it for,” he said, adding that installing a gasoline pump on a dock at the Landing was top priority.

The town will replace the gasoline pump and build a 10-foot boardwalk pier around the western, Depot Street side of Riverside Landing.

“That may be as far as our 50,000 goes,” Jessup added. “We might address some cosmetic work on the building if there’s any funds left over.”

Riverside also plans to finish up its camping area—part of the Alabama River Trail—on the low part of the Landing between the slew and Depot Street.

But before Riverside can turn the gas pumps on, it must to wait on the Federal Energy Regulatory Permit and Alabama Power—which oversees area waterways—to give the green light.

“We’re expecting it anytime now,” Jessup said of the FERP permit. “In reality we probably won’t have gasoline on the water until next spring.”

Riverside Landing has been doing well this summer. “Our peak month was June, it was a little off July and August, but it’s averaging a little more than $800 a month in launch fees.”

Jessup said everything in the works is part of the second step in overall plans for Riverside Marina. “We’ve got some big plans, we’re planning on building a really nice park complete with paved parking lot and hopefully even more things in the future.”

“It’s another step forward to help our community,” Councilman Kenny Womack said.

Chili Cookoff

Riverside is in the final planning stages of a national chili cook-off, which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 25.

The Riverside International Chili Society Cook-off, which will benefit Riverside Volunteer Fire Dept. will be a nationally sanctioned event.

Participants will be vying to qualify for the national cook-off in Manchester New Hampshire in October.

It will coincide with a fishing tournament that will launch at safe daylight on the morning of the 25th. The weigh in will be at 2 p.m. Stoves will fire up just before noon.

“I’m experienced with the Chili Society from years gone by and I was looking for something to try to bring attention to the town and the landing,” Womack said.

Three years ago, before Womack was on the council he began trying to get the event to locate off the Coosa.

About a month ago they told him Riverside will be the place to taste. “There’s chili cook-off held around the state, but this is the real thing,” Womack said. “So for all the people who won other cook-offs, we will be giving them the opportunity to go to the next level.

Womack said he’s already had people calling him from as far away as Orlando, Fla. “We’re hoping that the community and the county get behind it and it will help everyone involved including our local business. It works like a playoff: if you win this one, you get to go to the big game.”