Sleepy Hole construction under way
Published 8:38 pm Tuesday, October 6, 2015
The kayak and canoe launch, fishing pier and parking lot are well on their way to being finished at Sleepy Hole Park. The expected completion date is mid-November.
Construction going on at Sleepy Hole Park is bound to make a large section of the community very happy.
A canoe and kayak launch, fishing pier and parking lot are being built, providing the community easy access to the Nansemond River from the park.
“We look forward to providing opportunities for the city of Suffolk to be healthy and active,” said Lakita Watson, director of Parks and Recreation for the city.
The project was done based on the results of a survey given to members of the community to assess their desires for their parks, Watson said.
They have wanted to create a way for the community to access the river for some time now, Watson said. After about three years of planning and securing the proper funding, construction finally got started this summer. The estimated project completion date is now set for mid-November, Watson said.
Another reason for building the pier and boat launch is to provide a means for citizens to become more active, while simultaneously learning more about nature, Watson said. She believes this to be significantly attributed to the types of activities children participate in.
“Studies have shown that kids are not as active as they used to be,” Watson said.
Eventually, citizens will be offered the opportunity to participate in scheduled paddling activities, learn from certified kayaking instructors and even take classes.
“It’s definitely a work out,” Watson said of the boating activities. Through these activities, one can improve their muscle strength, as well as the health of their heart, she said. Watson said she intends to use the launch and pier once it’s been built.
Including the wooden pier and the already constructed boat launch, the project is costing more than $426,000, Watson said. The city received a $125,000 grant to be put towards the project, and that sum was supplemented by another $125,000 the city designated for the project.
The rest was spent from Parks and Recreation’s capital improvement fund, she said. The city did not go into debt in order to fund the park’s new addition.
