Campers at Lake Jacksonville will be able to clean up their lots this month, but won’t be able to linger at the lake just yet.
The Jacksonville Parks and Lakes Department announced today that access will be allowed for lot clean up days on Saturday April 11th and the following Saturday the 25th.
Site Manager Brett Gilbreth says that these dates social distancing will still be required.
“Those days are just to be for lot maintenance, whether it be for raking leaves or mowing lots. It is not for social gatherings, there is not to be a big party or anything. We are still requiring everyone to use the social distance guidelines.”
Gilbreth says that the Parks and Lakes department wants to allow campers to be able to keep up with maintenance so no one is forced to fall behind, since warm weather has ushered in the start of mowing season for the year. He says though that lot lessees will be the only individuals allowed to access the grounds on these days.
“Those that have grounds that are leased from the City of Jacksonville for camping purposes, will be the only ones permitted in there to do work on those two dates. It’s not deemed for people to come out and go sightseeing, or anything like that. It is just simply for those people who are leasing lots, or even parcels of ground through private camping, it’s meant for those people to do simple maintenance on their lot, and that is it.
Hopefully soon they will lift the restrictions up and we will be able to open this up for the season, but we don’t want to make anyone get behind on things out here. We want to make sure the area stays as nice as it possibly can, so that’s why we are doing this.”
Gilbreth says that the Parks and Lakes Department wants to also remind the public that only certain watercraft will be allowed on the lake at this time.
“Until further notice, the only boats that are allowed on Lake Jacksonville are fishing boats. That means you have to be fishing to come out here. It does not mean that you can put your pontoon or ski boat in and drive up and down the lake.
This is open strictly for fishing practices that is in accordance with the guidelines from the Governor. Pleasure boating, skiing, all that kind of stuff, the lake is going to stay closed down to it, until we are all free and clear of this virus.”
Lake lot maintenance will be allowed on Saturday April, 11th and Saturday April 25th from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
For questions concerning the clean up days, or the lake in general, call the Parks and Lakes Department office on Lake Jacksonville, at 217-479-4644