Improvements Make Lake Lucas Park Even More Attractive to Visitors
allen oliver, asheboro, back creek, improvements, lake lucas, recreation, thurman coltraine,
Thurman Coltraine first fished Lake Lucas in 1946‚ and he’s still catching bluegill and bass from the same lake.
But he’s got more company since the Lake Lucas Park got a facelift.
“I like the changes. It made a lot of difference‚’’ says Coltraine‚ who rents a slip for his fishing boat on the new floating dock at the park.
Recreation at the 238-acre lake‚ built in 1944 on Back Creek to provide water for Asheboro‚ has been enhanced by a $685‚000 renovation project that was finished in 2002‚ says Allen Oliver‚ city parks and recreation director.
“There has been some type of recreational use since 1947‚ but back then it was just a launch for people to put their boats in the water and fish‚’’ Oliver says.
The old boat ramp was not really designed for a boat and trailer‚ so it was hard for those who wanted to fish to launch their boats. The new boat launch has a straight‚ 70-foot entry into and out of the lake.
“It’s much easier to get boats in and out of the water‚’’ he says.
Parks officials began work on improvements in 1999‚ when the city got a $250‚000 grant from the state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund. The rest of the renovations‚ most of which were done by city parks employees‚ were paid for by the city. Improvements include a large picnic shelter‚ a new log building with a bait shop and bathrooms that replaced the old cinderblock game warden’s office‚ a playground‚ expanded parking areas‚ and a 1‚500-foot walking trail.
The park entrance was improved‚ too‚ with a wider drive.
“We wanted to make it a year-round‚ family-type place‚’’ Oliver says.
One of the centerpieces of the improvements is the floating boat dock‚ with space for 60 boats. “It floats with the water. If it floods‚ the dock and boats raise up. If we get a drought it drops‚’’ Oliver says.
There’s also a new floating fishing pier‚ so people can fish without a boat. And it’s accessible to people with disabilities. “It’s easy for someone with a disability to get down to the fishing pier‚’’ Oliver says.
Many more people are using the park now.
“There are more people launching boats‚” Oliver adds‚ “and the picnic shelter is reserved two or three times every day on the weekend.’’
Story by Vicki Brown
Photo by Greg Emens
