A park that is equally popular among local residents as visitors has been closed in Bryson City since mid-February. Particularly as Delayed Harvest Waters opened to trout fishing on Oct. 1, it means trekking out a little further out of town for many to get into the cold water of the Tuckasegee.
The closure early this year followed heavy flooding. On Feb. 6, about 3-4 inches of rain overnight and throughout the day caused the river to rise substantially. Downtown, the river broke its banks not just on the island but also on Island Street, flooding about a block beyond the riverside road.
On the island, the damage was significant. The walking paths along the island were washed out, as were entry points into the water.
Island Park is owned by the Town of Bryson City and maintained primarily by Swain County. In recent years, the park has drawn interest for revitalization efforts, but nothing has developed from those interests so far. Among interest has been adding lighting and bathrooms to the park. The town board of aldermen, a few years ago, discussed the possibility of trying to procure funding for a retaining wall around the island to prevent flood damage.
Even more ambitious, in 2018, a local group of kayakers started a group to begin investigating the possibility of developing a whitewater park and blueway along the river. With local buy-in, the group hired a recreation engineering company from Colorado to conduct a feasibility study.
That study imagined developing Island Park and the bank of the river along Island Street to make it more accessible for people to use for wading, swimming, fishing and boating. With local interest, the group then began focusing efforts on fundraising.
The closure of the park fell under the radar for many because it was just a month later that the state went on a widespread lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But when parks reopened in early summer, the gate to the pedestrian bridge to the island remained locked.
Restoration in the works
Regina Mathis, Bryson City Town Manager, shared recently that the town has been approved for funding from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to repair the island.
“We’re in process with working with a consultant firm for mitigation,” she said, adding that the timeline and the total funding amount is yet to be determined.
The process begins with lots of permitting because of the location of the park.
During town board’s regular meeting on Monday night, the board unanimously approved a quote for the Island Park stream bank stabilization project from Stecoah Environmental Solutions, LLC.
Patrick Breedlove, of Stecoah Environmental Solutions has worked with FEMA on many occasion and is familiar with the rigorous permitting process involved, Mathis told the board.
Services will include design for bank stabilization and causeway, environmental assessment and permit preparation/submission, according to the quote submitted. Combined, the design and environmental assessment and permit preparation is estimated to cost $10,824.
The quote does not include the project construction oversight or construction costs nor does it include a detailed archaeological survey or an Appalachian Elktoe survey or mitigation assessment.
Mayor Tom Sutton noted the permitting process is “very time consuming and very complicated.”
The board, however, was glad to see the project is now moving forward.