Several improvements to Higgins Ferry Park within the last six months including new park benches, walking trail and a welcome sign have park officials hoping visitors will keep coming back.

The park received a $5,000 grant from the Cawaco Resource Conservation and Development Council which allowed for the purchase of fire rings with cooking grates at most camp sites, three commercial park benches, and over 300 feet of walking trail linking the upper parking lot and campground to the boat launch area.

“The benches have really added a cosmetic difference to the park,” Higgins Ferry Park Ranger Jacob Sim said. “I saw a guy who was just sitting down reading a book on one of the benches. I don’t know if it was during his lunch break or what, but it was nice to see. The benches have definitely been the most used thing since we put them up.”

Sim said the idea for the benches came after older, wooden benches at the park started falling apart.

“We decided it would be good to install metal benches,” Sim said. “They are sturdier and they are in the ground, so they are a lot better and will last a lot longer. We were also able to take two of the older wooden benches and repaint them and fix them so we have a total of five benches now throughout the park.”

Another new addition to the park was a donation of a new sign to greet visitors to the park when they pull into the parking lot area.

“We found that we have had more business coming off the interstate, and the sign we put up is reflective so it gives people who are getting off the interstate a chance to read it during the dark,” Sim said.

The sign was donated by Troy Crocker with Faces Custom Signs.

Sim said Crocker lives on the lake and wanted to come up with something to help the cosmetic look of the park.

“We have been really fortunate to have the sign, and have received a lot of positive feedback from it,” Sim said.

Chilton County Parks and Recreation Manager Gerald Arrington said new docks at the lake were completed in November 2014 after Alabama Power Company paid for the construction and composite wood used for the decking.

The new docks provide more parking space for boats as compared to the old docks since both sides of the docks are now accessible, according to Arrington.

Sim said since the work on the docks was completed, projects to enhance the park were completed using the money from the Cawaco grant.

“Everything is a process,” Sim said. “The next project is we want to make a nicer tent camping area. Overall though, we have gotten a great response to the improvements that have been made, and we are definitely seeing an increase in visitors.”

For more information about Higgins Ferry Park, call (205) 312-1146 or visit www.higginsferrypark.com.

Higgins Ferry Park is located at 11161 County Road 28 in Clanton.