Last Updated on May 6, 2026 8:58 pm
SUGAR GROVE — Construction is about to get underway at Old Cove Creek Park in Sugar Grove as Hurricane Helene recovery efforts move forward at one of Watauga County's most historic park sites.
Officials tell WataugaOnline construction is set to begin in a couple of weeks. Sites 1 through 5 and Site 7 have been approved for now. Greene Construction of Boone is the general contractor on the project.
The 10.5-acre facility on Dale Adams Road — which includes a gymnasium, playground, picnic shelter, multipurpose field, and walking trail — was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Hurricane Helene devastated the site in September 2024, with the storm leaving the grounds looking like “the bottom of a river bed,” according to then-Watauga County Parks and Recreation Director Keron Poteat.
The project has faced significant delays. FEMA's initial site inspection came in at only about 10 percent of the actual cost to restore the facility to pre-Helene condition and implement flood mitigation improvements. The county worked with contractors Hagerty Consulting and BREC to provide additional engineering data — including LiDAR data and hydrological models — to accurately document the damage. Federal government shutdowns also stalled progress, as the project is classified as a Category G Parks and Recreation Facilities project, which cannot be advanced during shutdown periods.
In April, Watauga County received a $494,000 state grant through the Disaster Recovery Act of 2025 Part II to support the Cove Creek Park restoration. The High Country received more than $2 million total in that funding round.
WataugaOnline will continue to follow the progress of the Old Cove Creek Park restoration.
