This Land, Your Land

Get a look at what's likely to be in store for Chimney Rock State park when the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation holds a public planning session May 26 at the Lake Lure Town Hall.

Folks can drop in any time from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to see proposed design alternatives for the state park, a division news release says, and ask questions and offer comments to officials of the state parks system and Greenways Inc.

Greenways Inc., a Durham-based environmental planning and landscape architecture firm, is completing the plan. Beginning May 26, the design proposals will be available at www.greenways.com/chimneyrock.

"A state park’s master plan is essentially a blueprint for long-term development of facilities and recreation opportunities and a guide for protection of natural resources," the news release says. "It is meant to be an organic document, evolving as the park grows and as knowledge is gained about a park’s natural resources and public use."

Chimney Rock State Park, authorized in 2005, comprises more than 4,300 acres in Rutherford, Polk, Henderson and Buncombe counties, including Hickory Nut Gorge. The private Chimney Rock park was added to the state's property in 2007, and is the primary public access to the state park.

Written comments can be submitted through June 23 through the Greenways website or by mail to: General Management Plan Coordinator, N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation, 1615 MSC, Raleigh, NC 27699-1615.