Storm, Flooding Damages Area Parks
Tropical Storm Alberto is long gone, but it could affect weekend plans for months to come. The overwhelming rains damaged several local parks, including historic Yates Mill Park.
The newly rebuilt park was supposed to open for their first public milling demonstrations this weekend. But the Yates Mill wheel nearly washed away Wednesday when nearly 7 feet of floodwater surrounded the 250-year-old mill.
This isn't the first time that the mill has stood its ground. In 1996, Hurricane Fran knocked out the original dam, setting back the public opening of the park for several years. Hurricanes Dennis and Floyd didn't help, and a builder bankruptcy in 2004 cost the park another year.
Now, just when the mill was going to start running again, Alberto swept in, creating craters and other delays. This weekend, park employees were showing video of Wednesday's storm instead of the planned milling demonstrations. Is history at the mill hexed?
"The fact that it's still here, we feel very fortunate that we can still have the mill, work to having it open as soon we can," said Yates Mill Park manager Rebeccah Cope.
It could be a month or more before repairs are completed, and and it won't be the only park space that Alberto closed.
A section of greenway at Lake Johnson is closed as crews work to repair the dam. That's only one of many sections of greenway through Raleigh and Cary closed because of Wednesday's storm, including: