Lake Shelby cabins reopen, pier still closed as Gulf State Park continues Hurricane repairs
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — A waterfront destination that has taken years to restore — the Lakeside Cabins — is reopening.
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The reopening comes after Hurricane Sally destroyed the cabins alongside Lake Shelby in 2020. WKRG News 5 previously reported that 16 cabins at Alabama’s Gulf State Park were destroyed in the category 2 hurricane.
According to a press release, existing cabins were rebuilt and refurbished and new cabins were built following the storm.
“They’re clean, they’re sharp,” says Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft. “They’ve got all the amenities that you need. Sally was a blessing.”
Most are two bedrooms and two baths with a bunkroom for kids. Officials say the newly restored and built cabins offer unique accommodations that are unlike anything else on Pleasure Island.
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But although the cabins are now recovered, there are still parts of Gulf State Park that need to be addressed following Hurricane Sally: the Gulf State Park Pier.
“I think progress is moving along very nicely,” says Alabama Department of Conservation Director Chris Blankenship when talking about Gulf State Park Pier repairs.
The pilings have been replaced and reset in the damaged section. The pier deck is once again connected to the Octagon. “Now they are rebuilding panels, working on the water line and electrical and starting to put that back together on the surface,” says Blankenship.
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It’s still months away from completion but the pier could be open again by late summer.
Officials say that repairing the damage from Hurricane Sally is almost over and getting the pier back will be the final stop on the road to recovery.
Blankenship said, “We will really be back to having the park back together.”
It has been a long and expensive road to recovery. According to officials, the cabin repairs cost almost 9 million dollars and the pier repairs 13 point 6 million dollars.
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