Freeman Park: the ugly and the beautiful

Freeman Park was apparently the site of a bacchanalian-like Memorial Day weekend in Carolina Beach. Loud parties, litter, debauchery, etc. It's not surprising then to read that some changes may be coming to the park, according to WECT.

Several hours and trash bags later, leaders in Carolina Beach are ready to consider some changes to Freeman Park at the north end of Pleasure Island.

Volunteers joined most of Carolina Beach Town Council Monday afternoon to comb the beach for loose debris and trash left by campers from the Memorial Day weekend.

Councilman Steve Shuttleworth said what he witnessed Monday was not as bad as the messes he saw early Sunday morning, which prompted the cleanup tour.

"We just want Freeman Park to be a positive experience for everyone," he said.
...

More trash cans, some recycle bins and an ash disposal area for what's left of campfires are just a few of the suggestions before council. Lewis said there's also the possibility of stepping up enforcement during busy holiday weekends with part-time beach monitors.

"If people are leaving stuff here, maybe they should get a summons in the mail," he said.

Jan Weissbeck, who helped in the cleanup effort, said the town has a moral obligation to keep everyone safe on the island. She said she's worried about the good times going too far at Freeman Park and spilling into the nearby neighborhoods

"I hear a lot of screaming all through the night, and I hate to think that people are leaving this park in that obviously intoxicated state of mind," said Weissbeck.

In *better* Freeman  Park news, a seal enjoyed some time along the beach there recently. Let's all "ooh" and "ahh" over this rare visitor.



Enjoy the seal (via YouTube).

CB getting renourished -- in a jiffy!

The beach renourishment project in Carolina Beach is finally underway. The bad news is there may be some ugly, broken-up beaches with pipes and equipment all over for a bit. The good news is it is scheduled to all be over by May 31, according to WECT, so it won't be THAT long.

The even BETTER news is when it's completed, there should be wider beaches for all to enjoy. (And there was much rejoicing.)

Let's go to the TV station's report:

Contractors will add 900,000 cubic yards of sand to the stretch of beach from the pier to the boardwalk area. They're moving at an estimated pace of 1,000 feet down the sand, according to Project Manager Bob Keistler.
He said the 24/7 work schedule should keep beachgoers from being discouraged, because crews won't be in one area too long.
"Once they finish placing the beach in one area, folks are able to swim, surf, and do whatever but they're will be a big pipe there," said Keistler.
The project needed special permits because of its late start, as it is currently turtle season.
Regulating agencies approved the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project to be the designated group to monitor the work's effect on turtles.
Doug Piatkowski, a biologist with the Corps, said crews have several options if they ever encounter a turtle -- they can relocate the turtle, work around it or completely stop the process until it is safe to begin again.

Oh, happy days!

This is really good news:

Mark your calendars and get ready to boogie - the 28th Carolina Beach Music Festival is right around the corner! Held on Saturday, June 1st from 10:30 am - 4:30 pm right on the beach in beautiful Carolina Beach, North Carolina.

But this is even BETTER news!

 It's official! Construction work on the Snow's Cut Bridge is finished for the rest of summer.
Crews finished work on the southbound lanes Thursday, a day earlier than they planned.
DOT crews have been working on the southbound lanes of the bridge since November. Lanes will be open for the rest of the summer, but the work isn't complete.
After the summer months crews will begin to work on the northbound lanes in the fall on October 1.