Waterfest celebrates improvements at Holmes Lake
Jan Fulmer remembers when she used to take her children to swim at Holmes Lake more than 20 years ago.
“We used to go here all the time, every Saturday and Sunday, when the old beach was here,” Fulmer said.
The beach closed for swimming in 1979, according to Journal Star Archives.
Over the years, excessive sediment deposits reduced the depth, water quality and fishing conditions of the lake, which was built in 1962 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The water was really getting dirty and mucky,” Fulmer said. “And it stunk.”
But muck and stink were long gone Saturday evening, when Fulmer and hundreds of others came to Holmes Lake for Waterfest, a free event celebrating the completion of a two year, $5.6 million renovation of the lake and the surrounding park.
The celebration offered food, activities and education about watershed management.
“I think it emphasizes the opportunities for water-based recreation,” said City Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson. “It also emphasizes the things we can do to protect water.”
Johnson said he hoped Waterfest would become an annual event.
“We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect water quality,” he said.
Holmes Lake re-opened last fall with a 2.3-mile hiker/biker trail loop, two new pedestrian bridges and 10 new benches.
Nearly 321,000 cubic yards of sediment were removed from the lake bottom. About 2.4 miles of shoreline were stabilized with rock and native plants, and 10 acres of wetlands were created. Six new rock jetties were installed to provide fishing access and protect shorelines.
The project extended the recreational life span of the lake by more than 100 years.
Josie Rodriguez, who recently moved to Lincoln from Lexington with her family, said she appreciated having a lake in town where her two daughters could fish and have fun.
Having a place like Holmes Lake in town is good for the community, Rodriguez said.
“It gives us something else to do besides staying at home and watching TV,” she said.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com
“We used to go here all the time, every Saturday and Sunday, when the old beach was here,” Fulmer said.
The beach closed for swimming in 1979, according to Journal Star Archives.
Over the years, excessive sediment deposits reduced the depth, water quality and fishing conditions of the lake, which was built in 1962 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
“The water was really getting dirty and mucky,” Fulmer said. “And it stunk.”
But muck and stink were long gone Saturday evening, when Fulmer and hundreds of others came to Holmes Lake for Waterfest, a free event celebrating the completion of a two year, $5.6 million renovation of the lake and the surrounding park.
The celebration offered food, activities and education about watershed management.
“I think it emphasizes the opportunities for water-based recreation,” said City Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Johnson. “It also emphasizes the things we can do to protect water.”
Johnson said he hoped Waterfest would become an annual event.
“We all have a responsibility to do what we can to protect water quality,” he said.
Holmes Lake re-opened last fall with a 2.3-mile hiker/biker trail loop, two new pedestrian bridges and 10 new benches.
Nearly 321,000 cubic yards of sediment were removed from the lake bottom. About 2.4 miles of shoreline were stabilized with rock and native plants, and 10 acres of wetlands were created. Six new rock jetties were installed to provide fishing access and protect shorelines.
The project extended the recreational life span of the lake by more than 100 years.
Josie Rodriguez, who recently moved to Lincoln from Lexington with her family, said she appreciated having a lake in town where her two daughters could fish and have fun.
Having a place like Holmes Lake in town is good for the community, Rodriguez said.
“It gives us something else to do besides staying at home and watching TV,” she said.
Reach Hilary Kindschuh at 473-7120 or hkindschuh@journalstar.com
Copyright © 2002-2008 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.