Aberdeen Lake Park is reopening in phases after sustaining heavy damage during Tropical Storm Chantal earlier this summer.
“We have been happy to hear how much everyone loves using the park and misses it,” writes the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department in an update. “We very much apologize for the inconvenience the closures have caused. There are several steps and processes the town needs to go through to ensure we are repairing facilities properly and responsibly.”
The town recently announced that the park’s trail, minus the bridge, is now open to the public while resurfacing work continues. Contractors may close sections as needed, but residents are welcome to use the trail when signs are not posted.
During the storm, both the upper and lower portions of Aberdeen Lake Park were underwater, with the Recreation Center being the only area untouched by the rising water due to its elevated position on higher ground. The town writes that the lake, “rose and flowed over the bridge, ripped the asphalt off of the lower parking lot, compromised the base of the playground, destroyed the fence, washed away trash cans, and blew electrical outlets.”
Since the storm, town workers have worked to relocate picnic tables and trash cans, replace them as needed, repair electrical panels and outlets, and resurface the lower parking lot. Striping work will allow the parking lot to reopen in the near future.
While the playground structure itself was unharmed, rushing water damaged the base under its rubber surfacing. The town is reviewing contractor quotes to move forward with repairs “as quickly as possible.”
The trail reopening comes as part of a larger asphalt project that was already scheduled before the storm. Officials said recent rain has slowed progress, but they hope to finish by early September. The bridge, however, will remain closed until a full assessment or replacement is completed.
However, a new addition is arriving alongside the repairs and upgrades: the park will soon be home to the town’s first public pickleball courts. The town’s contractor, already on site for the parking lot repairs, is prepared to begin grading and paving in the very near future, weather permitting.
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~Article and photo by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy.
