Holly Springs To Rebuild Dam, Create Nature Park

Hardy Mills, 79, remembers when an expanse of grass in Holly Springs was a lake.

"We were going out to Mills Pond to fish, and as they say, drink an RC and eat a Moon Pie," he said.

It is not called Mills Pond anymore.

"When I heard they changed the lake to Bass Lake, I said 'What's going on here? If he's going to change the name, name it Perch Lake because its full of perch,'" Mills said.

Mills' grandfather, John A. Mills, built the dam, but in 1996, Hurricane Fran tore it down, wiping out the lake.

Now, the town of Holly Springs is rebuilding the dam over Bass Lake.

"It's pretty much gonna be an 80-acre lake with a two-acre island in the middle put there for wildlife and fish habitat," said Len Bradley, of the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Rebuilding the dam is only the beginning for Holly Springs. The town plans to make this a complete educational and recreational facility.

"They will have a walking trail, recreation for the kids. Eventually we'll have places for people to fish," resident Margaret Watson said.

It is something that people living around the lake say that they cannot wait to experience.

"We will give up some privacy, but it's too beautiful not to share with people," resident Sandra Simpson said.

The first phase of Bass Lake Park is expected to take about eight months to complete. Holly Springs needs $750,000 in donations to finish the project.