LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — One of several areas devastated by the March 2023 tornadoes was Little Rock’s Rock Creek Trail, located near the intersection of Bowman and Markham.
On Saturday, the trail was finally reopened after brief speeches from Mayor Frank Scott Jr., City Parks Director Leland Couch, Volunteer Programs Coordinator Karen Sykes, and City Director for Ward 5 Lance Hines.
"I was sitting at home that afternoon when the tornado literally touched down about three quarters of mile from my house,” Hines said during his speech, “And ran a path through the heart of our city."
Officials said around 1,200 trees spanning 20 acres of the trail were uprooted in the storms and they weren’t easy to remove, which lead to the long restoration period.
"This was a wooded environment,” Couch said. “That's why it took us a little bit longer to plant it. They weren't able to get their trucks into the into the creek and into the park, so they had to use other equipment to get the tree debris out and haul it out."
Couch said that work is now finished and that news was cheered by the nearly 100 people in attendance at the time of the opening.
They weren’t there just to celebrate. Right after the ceremony, those in attendance picked up tools and trash bags to help prepare the trail further.
"I was hoping there was some way I could get involved,” Rachel Tanner, who said she loved hiking the trail before its closure, said. “I know how to pick up trash."
According to Couch, that was just one of the jobs volunteers could take as others cut back vegetation and tamed invasive species on the trail.
Volunteers were of all ages, including Angela Koturbash, who said she loves to go fishing or exploring on the trail, often with her dad.
"I actually went here the day after the tornado to try and clear up some of the logs and stuff,” Koturbash said, “And we could not get very far, because it was almost inaccessible… it was crazy, but it looks a lot better now."
It certainly does and for Couch that makes the day extra special.
“One of my favorite trails,” he said of the Rock Creek Trail during his speech, “One of my first trails that I've ever experienced with Little Rock Parks and Recreation."
Couch said the work isn’t finished, there's other parks and trails that need similar treatment.
He said anyone interested in volunteering can reach out to Karen Sykes through the city’s official website, or contact the Central Arkansas Trail Alliance (CATA), who often help the city with such projects.