Lake Lure Flowering Bridge to bloom again with FEMA funding

Hurricane Helene wiped out the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in September 2024. Now, it’s set to be rebuilt.

When Hurricane Helene made landfall in September 2024, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge sustained major damage that left the structure unconnected to surrounding land.

Many of the 30 themed gardens found there were buried around sand or washed away in flood waters. Perhaps most devastatingly, the beloved Rainbow Bridge, where people would go to leave their pets’ collars after they passed, was completely destroyed.

Thanks to the help of Spokes of Hope, a nonprofit organization, and a team of 40 volunteers, though, some of the gardens were salvaged after debris was cleared from the area. Those volunteers have been working tirelessly to help restore the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge to its former glory, and now they’ll be able to do just that with the assistance of FEMA.

Lake Lure’s beloved Flowering Bridge is set to be rebuilt

US Rep. Tim Moore (R-14th District) announced on Monday that the town of Lake Lure will receive over $2.5 million in funding from FEMA to rebuild the historic Flowering Bridge. The funds will be used to create a new structure designed to replace the previous stone arch bridge. According to Moore, the overall budget for the project will be about $2.85 million, meaning the FEMA funds will cover about 90% of it.

The Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Facebook page has expressed gratitude over the recent announcement, writing: “We are beyond delighted to learn that the Town of Lake Lure will receive $2.5 million in FEMA funding for the replacement of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge. We’ve been engaged with FEMA since after the storm and we are very grateful for their support.”

As an added spot of positive news, WFMY News 2 evening anchor Julie Luck posted on Facebook that around 140 collars previously placed by grieving pet owners on the Rainbow Bridge have been recovered by volunteers amid the Hurricane Helene debris. According to the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge Facebook page, a new Rainbow Bridge will also be constructed, where the recovered collars will be placed. Additional rails are set to be added to accommodate new collars, as well as colorful flowering bushes.

Demolition began on Aug. 18 to remove the remaining structure after engineers said it was unsafe. That work will continue as plans for a full replacement are developed.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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