Assateague parking ready for holiday weekend
Parking lots at Assateague Island National Seashore in Virginia that were damaged by a winter storm have been repaired and are ready for the expected influx of Memorial Day weekend visitors.
"All of the parking lots are open right now," said Kevin Sloan, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge manager.
The project came in slightly under the $800,000 budget, according to Liz Davis, Assateague Island National Seashore chief of interpretation and education.
READ MORE: A nor'easter destroyed parking lots on Assateague and mangled the beach over the winter
Another project getting underway on Assateague's Virginia portion is the construction of a new pony corral to replace the existing corral off Beach Road, which has become dilapidated and is too close to marshland, Sloan said.
The new corral will be near the entrance of Woodland Trail, in an area where a number of pine trees affected by the pine bark beetle were cut down.
The pine bark beetle infestation decimated between 40 and 50 acres in the area.
"We've taken down a lot of trees for public safety," Sloan said.
Pine beetles killing trees at Chincoteague
The corral is being built with the assistance of Team Rubicon, a volunteer veterans' organization, and the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which owns and cares for the herd of wild Chincoteague ponies that inhabits Assateague.
The new corral will be dedicated to Grover "Drizzle" Wilgus Jr., a former refuge employee and Saltwater cowboy who died in 2014.
The plan is to have the new corral ready in time for the annual Chincoteague Pony Penning in late July.
Another new development on Assateague in Virginia is the opening on May 17 of a northern over-sand vehicle zone for fishing, in addition to the southern zone.
The north zone, for day use only, has capacity for 12 vehicles and is open March 15 to Sept. 1.
"It will be open when the other one is closed," said Sloan, noting the north zone is not in a nesting area.
The south zone, in the overwash area of the island, has seasonal closures because of nesting shorebirds.
A map and directions to the northern over sand vehicle zone can be found here and also are available at the visitor center.
A over sand vehicle permit is required and all regulations apply to the zone. Sign in and sign out are required.
Another addition at the refuge is the recent opening to bicyclists of the Service Road between the Wildlife Loop and D Dike at the beach.
The gravel road, around 1.25 miles long, will be subject to closure in the fall for waterfowl migration.
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