Allen County’s Fox Island Park remains closed after being devastated by the derecho that hit the park this summer.
But the Allen County Parks Board is not giving up opening the park again.
“The park as we knew it on the 13th will never be the same, at least not in our lifetimes,” said Allen County Parks Board President Stephanie Veit
Veit said the severe wind storm or derecho that hit Allen County in June devastated Fox Island Park.
“On June 13, this park held one of the largest continuous forests in Indiana, and on June 14, that was not the case,” she said.
Veit said the 90 mile an hour winds from the storm left every trail and road in Fox Island Park covered, blocked and impassable.
The storm also knocked down the park's signature 250-year-old Black Oak Tree. Now, restoration efforts are underway, but it’s going to take time.
Veit said thanks to approval from Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources, park staff have already started removing downed trees.
Fox Island Park has been closed since the storm hit.
Veit said if all goes according to plan and the downed trees ten inches or higher are all removed and “some” restoration effort is finished, the park can re-open in the summer of next year.