BSL commissioners extend North Lake Park hours

BOILING SPRING LAKES, NC (WWAY) — New street lights and more time to fish at a park in Boiling Spring Lakes has some residents concerned.

Tuesday night the Boiling Spring Lakes Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance 4-1 to change the hours North Lake Park is open.

Some commissioners say it is good for the fishermen in the area while resident John Banks begs to differ.

“So you have the lighting issue. And you have the park hours issues. And then you have this becoming a fishermen’s lake,” Banks said.

Banks has several concerns, all of which follow the installment of three street lights at North Lake Park across from his home in April.

“Before they illuminated the lights it was black. And all you saw was the night sky. With starts and constellations and all the things that are there. Now we have light pollution,” Banks said.

However, Boiling Spring Lakes City Manager Jeff Repp says the lights are there to keep the public and police officers on patrol safe.

“Again for safety. Again if you’re going to extend the hours there you know you really don’t want to have that area, especially with people using the fishing pier, to not be able to go out there and not be safe. So it kind of illuminates the area where the fishing takes place,” Repp said.

The ordinance extends park hours from sunrise to 11:00 p.m.

“The intent of the whole process was to extend the hours of the operations of the park so fishermen can use it. And the public here in Boiling Spring Lakes can continue to use the fishing pier past what would have normally been dusk,” Repp said.

It is a move commissioners, aside from Mayor Craig Caster, agree with and one Banks is not happy with.

“Now this is a very small lake and all the residents around here own, ya know, valuable property around here. And what they don’t in their backyard is fishermen and the public enjoying the lake after sunset,” Banks said.

Banks is concerned the new hours will cause unwanted noise and guests at all hours of the night. City leaders assure it is for the best interest of the people.

As for boats, boaters are still required to be off the water by dusk.