News
Officials sing praises of new Century Lake Park
$1.5 million project gives residents another recreational option; fishermen will have to wait a year
Journal Photo by Melissa Hall
Mayor Dawn Morgan is in the center of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Century Lake Park.
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Published: May 15, 2008
KERNERSVILLE
Century Lake Park on Century Boulevard was about 10 years in the making before its opening last Friday.
About 100 residents came by to check out the park on the day of a ribbon cutting, speeches and a reception.
Kernersville Mayor Dawn Morgan called the park "a dream come true."
"The park is a place of peace and tranquility," she said.
The original lake was drained in 1997 after cracks appeared in its dam.
The town agreed in 1998 to repair and rebuild the dam and take care of future maintenance. But in 2000, town officials decided to abandon the lake.
Property owners around the lake sued the town, and in 2002 the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the town had to abide by the 1998 agreement.
The town received a $500,000 grant form the N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to help pay for the park. The park cost $1.5 million.
Vonda Martin, a representative from the trust fund, told the crowd that trust officials hope that many people will use the park.
Morgan said that problems during construction hampered the project, but that the problems were solved and the town has its second lake park.
The first one is Old Kernersville Lake Park on Lake Park Drive. Morgan said that lakes are special places and that the town is fortunate to have two parks with lakes.
"People love to fish," she said.
Morgan told the crowd they would have to wait to fish at Century Lake.
It has been stocked with fish but fishing will not be allowed for about a year to give the fish time to get acclimated to the lake and reproduce.
Ernie Pages, the director of the Kernersville Parks and Recreation Department, said that it's a passive park.
There are picnic sites with grills, fishing piers and people can come out and walk through the park.
Boats without motors are allowed on the lake, but swimming is not allowed.
The park is open each day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
■ Melissa Hall can be reached at 996-6601 or mhall@wsjournal.com.
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