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Recreation
Roanoke Rapids Lake Park Provides a Great Place for Outdoor Recreation
Roanoke Rapids Lake Park is the valley’s newest outdoor recreation destination.
Don’t be surprised to hear visitors utter words such as “gorgeous” or “inspiring” during evening sunsets at Roanoke Rapids Lake Park.
The 17-acre recreation destination opened in early 2007 on wooded‚ lakefront property at the western terminus of the Roanoke Canal Trail – just a few miles from downtown Roanoke Rapids.
“This is arguably the best place to catch a sunset in all of eastern North Carolina‚” says Lori Medlin‚ executive director of the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The whole park faces the west‚ so there are incredible sunsets over this lake in the evening hours.”
Roanoke Rapids Lake Park is a welcome addition to the valley because the general public had virtually no access point to Roanoke Rapids Lake prior to the park’s opening.
“Roanoke Rapids Lake Park is owned by Dominion North Carolina Power‚ which has leased the park property to the city of Roanoke Rapids through a long-term agreement‚” says Chris Wicker‚ parks and recreation director for the city of Roanoke Rapids. “In addition‚ Dominion provided $1.2 million to turn the rustic‚ undeveloped property into a scenic destination that it now is. Meanwhile‚ the city of Roanoke Rapids contributed $300‚000 to the project via state parks and recreation grants.”
Officials at Dominion North Carolina Power say they were happy to lease the acreage and donate the money to develop such an environmentally friendly attraction.
“This kind of facility has been needed on Roanoke Lake for a long time‚ so we jumped at the chance to be part of this endeavor‚” says Bryant Brooks‚ Dominion Power senior manager for state and local affairs. “We wanted to make the investment in Roanoke Rapids Lake Park to help make this community an even better place to live. After all‚ we at Dominion Power are residents of Roanoke Valley‚ too.”
The park is equipped with a 100-person picnic shelter and a 40-person handicapped-accessible picnic shelter‚ fishing pier‚ a swimming beach and a half-mile fitness and nature trail. There is also a nine-hole Frisbee golf course‚ a modular playground and beach volleyball courts.
“It also features plenty of bird-watching opportunities‚ with wood ducks‚ osprey and even the occasional bald eagle among the wildlife inhabiting the scenic refuge‚” Wicker says.
The property is open from 9 a.m. to sunset from Memorial Day through Labor Day‚ and for limited hours from March through May and from September through mid-November. It is closed during the cold-weather months.
“There is no doubt that Roanoke Rapids Lake Park will quickly become the most-used park in the valley‚” Wicker says. “The reason is simple. It is ideally located along the waterfront – and don’t forget about those incredible sunsets.”
Story by Kevin Litwin
Photo by Ian Curcio
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© Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc.
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