Giant City trails still closed from storm

Hikers looking to enjoy a few trails at Giant City State Park before winter will have to wait a little longer.

Trails are still closed off from the storm on May 8, according to Bob Martin, site superintendent for the park.  He said some trails including Red Cedar Hiking Trail, Trillium Trail and Stone Fort Trail are still closed because of wreckage from the storm.

Other parts of Makanda have not been cleaned up, according to Janelle Weber, innkeeper for Makanda Inn.  She said the most damage was done around Giant City.

Martin said a tree uprooted during the storm and destroyed a bridge on Stone Fort Road, which is still closed off.  Martin said the park does not have the resources to clean up the wreckage left from the storm.

“We probably got trees 30 to 40 inches around that are leaning against the bluff,” Martin said.  “We just don’t have the equipment to take them down.”

Martin said the park has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency all summer on contracts.  FEMA, a government agency that offers aid for natural disasters, started cleaning three months after the storm at the end of August, Martin said.

An audit of FEMA released by the Department of Homeland Security in June of 2009 reviewed 32 disaster contracts from 2007, noting the agency was “not in compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation or Acquisition Management Division’s contracting policies and procedures for emergency acquisitions for most of the contracts reviewed.”

While Giant City Park still works to repair storm damage, many Makanda businesses have recovered.

Jim Ewers, co-owner of Blue Sky Vineyard, said the vineyard was not affected by the storm, and the community did a great job in getting everything back together.

“I was surprised with how quickly the mess was cleaned up,” Ewers said.

Despite the wreckage, most Makanda businesses are no longer feeling the effects of the storm, Weber said.  With Makanda Fest and various wine festivals, she said business is very good for Makanda at the moment.

“There are lots of festivals going on, so we actually just got done with the busiest time of the year,” Weber said.

Martin said business is not hurting at the park either, but visitors are limited in what they can do.

“The folks are still coming in, they’re just not able to go up in those areas to hike or rock climb,” Martin said.

Martin said the closed bridge entrance has not hurt attendance at the park either, as guests have still shown up since the storm.

“I don’t think any place is really hurting.  I mean there’s four different ways into this park,” Martin said.  “It’s not completely closed.  There’s still three other ways to find your way in here.”

Travis Bean can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275