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FIGHTING BACK!
Alabama's Gulf State Park fights back after Hurricane
Ivan
By Randy Jinks - Alabama State Parks
 Photo:
Back side of convention center; concrete slabs destroyed.
The Alabama State Parks are in the midst of major renovation projects that
will bring much needed improvements to several of their resort state parks.
Among them is Gulf State Park located at Gulf Shores. The plans call for a new
hotel, restaurant and convention complex along with major improvements to the
campground area. These were the plans prior to Thursday September 16th and a
visit by hurricane Ivan. The plan remains the same, but implementing the plan
has changed dramatically since that day.
The Hotel and Convention Complex was
severely damaged. Floodwaters caused scouring underneath the buildings. Sand was
level with the bottom floor of the hotel units. Now you can walk under the
building due to the washed out sand. The bottom floors were blown out by
floodwater. The top floors received extensive flooding, as well as wind damage.
The swimming pool was destroyed with only a trace of its existence remaining.
The Confer-ence center also received extensive damage.
A beach re-nourishment
program is repairing the extensive beach damage from the storm, which involves
pumping sand on the beach from gulf coast sand dunes. The golf course reopened
the end of October after cleaning up downed trees and removing debris.
All
of the cabins on Lake Shelby were damaged with one cabin being completely
destroyed. At this time, all cabins but one have been repaired. Renovation plans
also include the construction of 10 additional cabins. The piers on Lake Shelby
are being repaired and should be open by late November.
The entire campground
was under five to six feet of water after Hurricane Ivan. Renovation plans were
to include updating campground sewer and electrical needs a section at a time
while campers remained in the other sections. Since the hurricane, the park has
been closed and currently improvements are being made over the entire park. As
improvements are completed, the campground still hopes to open a section at a
time with the earliest opening being in late spring or early summer in 2005.
The fishing pier has become one of the most visible landmarks at Gulf
Shores, and it also received major damage. While plans are being made to
re-construct the pier, the beach pavilion, located near the pier, is currently
under contract with construction to begin in December.
Overall, the entire
park is starting to resemble itself once again with some renovation currently
underway. It is definitely going to take some time, but when all is said and
done, this popular state park is going to be better than ever.
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