James Island’s popular ‘Sunrise Park’ to close for 3 months for repairs
March 31, 2019
A popular James Island park on Charleston Harbor will close for the next three months while crews repair damage left over from Hurricanes Matthew and Irma.
Demetre Park, which is on the water near Fort Johnson, will close beginning Monday.
The beach and fishing pier site is known by locals as “Sunrise Park” for its open eastward views of the water.
Charleston City Council recently approved a contract with Salmons Dredging Corporation to stabilize and repair damage caused by the storms. The project requires Demetre Park to close while its shoreline is rebuilt.
The work includes moving in barge-based equipment and riprap delivery via truck.
“The park will have to remain closed throughout,” the city said in a media release.
City of Charleston parks director Jason Kronsberg said there’s “never a good time to close a park,” but added “when the work is complete, the shoreline will be stronger and more resilient to future storms and wave action.”
Most of the $836,000 project cost is being funded by grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for storm damage reimbursement and mitigation.