One of Pasco’s largest parks reopens after Hurricane Helene
HUDSON, Fla. - Nearly seven months after Hurricane Helene, one of Pasco County's largest parks has reopened.
SunWest Park in Hudson is built on a former limestone mining operation and features a 70-acre spring-fed lake.
It's located right near the coast. Pasco County Public Works staff said it became inundated with water from the storm surge.
Dig deeper:
The storm surge pushed sand to the middle of the lake and into the parking lot. Milton brought strong winds that damaged some structures.
Public Works Director Jason Mickel said heavy equipment was necessary to clean it up. Crews first clawed out the now dirty, mucky sand from the lake.
"They pulled a lot of that sediment out, got it back onto the exposed limestone that's around the perimeter of this lake," Mickel said.
Mickel said it wasn't just for aesthetic purposes but also because it was a safety hazard.
26 truckloads of fresh, clean sand were hauled in to restore the shoreline.
What's next:
The park hosted a formal grand reopening last Saturday. It's open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information, click here.
SunWest Park hurricane damage:
The Source: FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis collected the information in this story.
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