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The original recreation area, formerly known as Lunga Recreation Area, is located on the west side of Marine Corps Base Quantico, and will reopen Friday, May 26.
A grand reopening celebration featuring a BBQ cook-off, rock climbing, free fishing, free watercraft rentals, and more will be held June 3 and 4.
The park spans more than 680 acres and includes the reservoir, which had been a favorite spot for local residents.
“Lunga Park has undergone extensive clean up actions for munitions removal and the areas open at this time, have been cleared for usage,” said Dylan Lane, the Installations Restoration Program and Munitions Response Program Coordinator for the Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Branch at Marine Corps Base Quantico.
“My husband and I go fishing, so I loved the springtime when the dogwoods would bloom and we would go crappy fishing,” explained Nancy Moorman, the Deputy Directory for Marine Corps Community Services. “It’s really exciting for me, because I was here in 2012 when it closed down. I saw it deteriorate over time and in the last three years, seen it built back up, so I can’t wait to get it opened back up.”
Lunga Park has a General Store and Boat House, volleyball court, grills, boat dock, pavilions, grills, areas for camping, fishing, boat rentals and more. The MCCS outdoor recreation website has more details on the adventure weekend and information on the continued development and growth of Lunga Park.
For the past eleven years Naval Facilities Engineering Command Washington and Marine Corps Base Quantico, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality addressed clean-up efforts under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Clean-up efforts are still on-going in other areas of Lunga Reservoir. Those areas which have not been cleared are still closed.
Even though only a portion of Lunga is now open, Moorman is excited about the future: “This is exciting for us, we want to see it used, we want people to get out there and enjoy it.”
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