Clarkesville’s Pitts Park could reopen this weekend

CLARKESVILLE – Two weeks after the waters of the rain swollen Soque River flooded Pitts Park in Clarkesville, city crews are preparing to reopen the facility to the public.

Crews spent the day in the park Wednesday, cleaning, clearing and prepping for a possible weekend opening.

“It’s kind of the same scenario as last year,” said Joe Deputy, project manager for ESG Operations Inc., the firm that oversees Clarkesville’s public works departments. “It brought in a lot of sand.”

Crews are taking a little different approach to the deposited sand than in some past years.

“Instead of trying to haul it all off, which is extremely time-consuming, we’re going to try to contour it and fill voids with it, and try to put some plans in place to do something more permanent than just the temporary fixes,” Deputy said.

Deputy said crews know more rain is in the forecast.

“We’re better off staying out in front of it,” Deputy said.

New swings that had been installed at the park a short time before the flooding were not damaged.

“Structurally, everything is fine,” Deputy said. “There’s a little bit of work to be done on the gazebo treads and rails, and the walkway onto the overlook on the river has been partially washed way, so we’ll be doing that the beginning of next week to get the boards replaced and make it safe.”

Crews spent some of Wednesday afternoon pressure washing the restrooms at the park. Other areas already had been cleaned.

“The playground equipment has already been disinfected, so all that stuff is a go,” Deputy said, adding the park is almost ready to reopen.

“I don’t see why we couldn’t open this weekend, provided that we get everything done that we need to [Thursday],” Deputy said.

Clarkesville crews use sand to level a section of the walking trail at Pitts Park Wednesday afternoon.

The water has receded and the playground equipment at Pitts Park has been disinfected in preparation for the park's reopening as early as this weekend.

Clarkesville crews have cleaned swings, playground equipment, restrooms and other surfaces in Pitts Park in preparation for reopening of the park.

Residual sand left over from flooding at Pitts Park can be seen filling in some areas of the facility along the Soque River.

ESG personnel work to clean up Pitts Park in Clarkesville Wednesday afternoon.

Crews from ESG in Clarkesville work Wednesday afternoon to get Pitts Park ready for reopening.

This Feb. 6 photograph shows the rising waters of the Soque River covering Pitts Park in Clarkesville.

Treads and railing on the Pitts Park gazebo will be replaced in the coming days as the park reopens after recent flooding.

The water has receded since this Feb. 6 photograph of flooding at Pitts Park in Clarkesville.

This Feb. 6 photograph shows the rising waters of the Soque River flooding across the playground at Pitts Park in Clarkesville.

This Feb. 6 photograph shows the parking area of Pitts Park underwater.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/2/878334/clarkesvilles-pitts-park-could-reopen-this-weekend