As Hurricane Helene approached, 麻豆传媒 parks and recreation officials moved equipment like mowers and golf carts to higher ground at Catawba Meadows Park.
Andrew Tallent, assistant director of 麻豆传媒鈥檚 parks and recreation department, said staff expected flooding similar to Hurricane Frances in 2004. Flood water was about 2 feet deep in the field house near the ball fields in 2004.
Flood waters ended up being more than 7 feet deep after Hurricane Helene swept through as a tropical storm. The flooding filled the concessions stand with water and ruined the room where brand new baseball and softball equipment was stored. Mowers, golf carts, Gator utility vehicles and maintenance machines were flooded and now won鈥檛 start. The ball fields were left covered in silt.
Bleachers were thrown on top of dugouts. Fencing around the fields was mangled by the water and debris. Sinkholes swallowed some of the ground around the fields.
麻豆传媒 Parks and Recreation Director Bryan Fish said the smell was rancid when staff first made it into the flooded park. He said the combination of the contaminants in the water plus the wet food from the concessions stand sent a putrid odor throughout the building.
Catawba Meadows wasn鈥檛 the only park that took a hit.
On the Catawba River Greenway, sand covers the path in some parts. An ice machine was carried from the Town Tavern area all the way to the greenway at Catawba Meadows, where it still sat nearly two weeks after the storm.
Trees fell on different parts of the greenway. Bridges and boardwalks over or near the river have been damaged.
Pieces of the greenway boardwalk behind the River Village shopping center were torn apart and mangled, moved by the flooding and current.
The water was so high and powerful at the Catawba River Soccer Complex, next to the greenway and behind the Ingles grocery, that the soccer goals were lifted over the fencing, which was also battered.
鈥淚 was devastated, probably a little emotional,鈥� Fish said. 鈥淏ut the times we鈥檙e in right now? Yes, the ball fields are not in great shape and are going to need some work, but there鈥檚 people who have lost homes and possibly family members to the storm. So in comparison, it鈥檚 not as bad as some other people may have it.鈥�
Fish estimated repairs for Catawba Meadows could cost millions of dollars. City Manager Sally Sandy said the city鈥檚 insurance, including flood insurance, plus FEMA funding would help, but it will take time before the city knows exactly how much repairs will cost.
For now, the city is in the cleanup phase. Fish said city staff have been suiting up in gloves, masks and boots to clean out the buildings hit hard by flooding.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a full team effort,鈥� Fish said.
It could be months before Catawba Meadows can be reopened.
The city has reopened the following parks:
- Freedom Park (Independence Boulevard)
- Martha鈥檚 Park (Collett Street)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Park (Alphabet Lane off Bouchelle Street)
- Skate park (King Street near Collett Street)
- Carbon City Park (Carbon City Road near 麻豆传媒 Department of Public Safety Station No. 2)
Until the other parks can be fully assessed for safety, the city asked people to stay out of the parks and off the greenway. Sandy said the storm damage could be dangerous.
鈥淲e know how important our facilities are for people, so we鈥檙e going to do our best to make this as short a time as possible. But it is going to take some time, and we ask for people鈥檚 patience. 鈥� We don鈥檛 need to add more tragedy to this event,鈥� Sandy said.
She said once the damaged parks and the greenway have been evaluated, the city will look at reopening each park in phases. There may be opportunities to volunteer to help with cleaning up the parks sometime in the future, Sandy said.
Seeing the dedication of city employees and community members has been a light in a dark place throughout the storm, Sandy said.
鈥淚 could not be prouder of the city of 麻豆传媒 employees and their response to this disaster, or more grateful to all of the outside help and our community鈥檚 offers of help,鈥� Sandy said. 鈥淚n the face of the devastation, those are the sides of this that let you know how much good is still out there.鈥�