Due to tornado damage in North Little Rock, Burns Park is still not open to the public

Little Rock, Arkansas – After a tornado destroyed much of Burns Park in North Little Rock on March 31, some of it is still off-limits to the public.

Due to the enormous heaps of debris that are still being cleaned up, according to city officials, it is still not safe.

As the next stage of cleanup after tornadoes tore through central Arkansas, limb by limb, branch by branch, is picked up and destroyed.

“We also put life before property and in this situation, we put all of our focus mainly on the people and their homes,” North Little Rock Fire Department Lieutenant Dustin Free said.

People travel from all around to enjoy Burns Park while on vacation or for recreation, however, it is currently closed.

There has been advancement. Smaller portions of the city of North Little Rock are opening every day.

“Starting tomorrow the city has decided, along with as well as the Parks Department, to open up the golf course,” Free said.

Throughout the upcoming months, everything will be reconstructed.

Free visited Burns Park frequently as a child. He claimed that seeing it now, following the tornado, is tragic.

“The fun-land part across where all of the rides are that are like amusement park rides, all of those have been destroyed, there are trees all through the park, it’s going to have to have a complete rebuild,” Free said.

Workers have consistently been out there working to restore what once was, as we have witnessed time and time again.

“It has really shown a good side of humanity, it has really boosted my faith in humanity actually seeing how people are acting and how they are treating each other,” Free said.

The closed sign won’t be there for long, according to the neighborhood.

“We promise we are doing the very best we can to get the park back open, but those efforts come second to making sure the community is safe,” Free stated.