RENOVATIONS DELAY TYPICAL ANNUAL BOATHOUSE OPENING IN CARY

Park Visitors Still Enjoy a Variety of Recreational Activities

CARY, NC – Area fishers are already taking advantage of the extra daylight savings hour to make a big catch at one of the Triangle’s most popular fishing spots – Bond Park Lake in Cary – but fishers and boat riders will have to wait until June to enjoy the newly-renovated Bond Park Boathouse.  The Boathouse typically opens in early April for concessions and boat rental operations each year, but the boathouse, boat ramp, and boat rentals will be closed until the $1.1 million renovation project is complete in June 2006.  When completed, the new boathouse will provide larger concessions and restrooms, as well as a screened porch that will be included on a large deck.

“We are looking forward to opening the boathouse and the adjacent Buehler picnic shelter just in time for the beginning of summer,” said Dwayne Jones, Cary Recreation Manager.  “We know that the new facilities will be well worth the wait.”   

Bank fishing is still available via the dam opposite the old boathouse.  In addition to the lake, visitors can stroll, bike or jog around the trails surrounding the lake and the entire park.  Sertoma Amphitheater, Kiwanis Shelter, Lazy Daze Playground, and the Challenge Ropes Course – all located at Bond Park – also provide the perfect environment for relaxing recreation.  Parking is available at the athletic fields, Kiwanis Shelter, and Bond Park Community Center .

The Bond Park Boathouse opened in 1984.  An analysis of the facility in 2001 revealed the need to update undersize storage and concessions areas and address the lack of sufficient space for staff.  Also, the boathouse structure needed to be moved out of the 100-foot lake/stream buffer area and the 100-year floodplain.  Renovations of the boathouse began on November 28, 2005 , and the original completion date was May 27, 2006 .  However, contractors had to delay the opening because of heavy rains in December. 

Fred G. Bond Metro Park , located at 801 High House Road , is one of the largest municipal parks in Wake County at 310 acres with a 42-acre lake.  Park hours for April and May are Sunday - Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday and holidays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. ; the operating hours from June through August are Sunday - Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday and holidays, 7 p.m. -9 p.m.

For more, call (919) 469-4100 or see Bond Park at www.townofcary.org.

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