NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark — The road to recovery following the March 2023 tornado continues in Arkansas.
Many stories about cleanup followed the storm, many of which started mere hours after the devastation. At Burns Park in North Little Rock, roads are officially open after nearly a year of repair and recovery.
The park many once knew changed instantly once the tornado hit, downing thousands of trees, many of which are stumps today.
"I did cry," North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick said. "After that, you clear your eyes, pull your pants up and start getting to work... that's what we did, the whole city."
Images from Burns Park after the tornado showed miles of destruction. Today, the fallen trees and debris are gone, thanks to the hard work of city employees and volunteers.
“Every road is open all the way to soccer fields, to the Big Dam Bridge, even to the covered bridge," Hartwick said. "Our city employees have been unbelievable."
Hartwick said it took $25 million and a lot of time to repair the roads at Burns Park.
"We had people coming in from out of town with chainsaws," Hartwick said. "It was all hands on deck, and it's been a process."
North Little Rock Fire Department Chief Gerald Tucker has been a part of the process, spending the better part of a year helping clean up.
"We had lost over 20,000 trees just in the park," Tucker said. "It's a completely different place... I grew up playing at this place, and you don't recognize it."
The recovery effort put in by the City of North Little Rock was recognized Thursday night as it received the Impact Award for North Little Rock First Responders 2023.
“Within a matter of the first 72 hours, all our streets were passable due to all the help,” Tucker said.
Additionally, Hartwick said the ability to recover was "a team effort," and he's excited for the park to return a sense of normalcy.
"We're seriously back to normal," Hartwick said. "All the pavilions are open. The only thing that isn't open is Funland, which we have cleared. It's exciting."
Hartwich said Funland is tentatively scheduled to reopen on July 4, with plans for new entertainment like a zip-line and splash pad.