![The future site of Pungo Ferry Landing Park. [John-Henry Doucette/The Princess Anne Independent News]](https://i0.wp.com/princessanneindy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/park-1-2.jpg?resize=640%2C391&ssl=1)
COURTHOUSE — The former Captain George’s and marina site in southern Virginia Beach is scheduled to open to the public as the 20-acre Pungo Ferry Landing Park on Friday, Sept. 16, a spokesperson for the city parks department said this morning.
Julie Braley, the parks spokesperson, said during an interview on Thursday, Sept. 15, that amenities the public will enjoy include a fishing area, a canoe and kayak soft launch and the boat ramp leading to the North Landing River.
“And there’s no ramp fee,” Braley added.
The department has been putting finishing touches on the park in recent weeks, and the decision just came through to announce the opening, Braley said.
“We’re excited because it’s supposed to be a beautiful weekend, too,” she said.
Barbara Duke, an open space planner for the city parks and recreation, said in the spring that the marina portion of the property would not be available to the public due to disrepair.
She said the city “in the future” may try to reopen it, perhaps with a private partner.
The city in 2015 purchased the site, which had been unused for years, using open space funds.
A plan to redevelop the site in 2007 for a restaurant and boat storage fell through, according to a city planning report on the land released earlier this year.
The park is scheduled to open at 7:30 a.m. and close at posted times. Closing time is scheduled to be 7:30 p.m. through Wednesday, Sept. 21.
A state freshwater fishing license is needed to fish in the river.
“We’re very excited for people to get out on the water,” Braley said.
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I was just there this afternoon. For the life of me I can’t figure out why the city decided to blacktop more than half the land that’s open and then fence off most of the rest. It would have kept a much more natural appeal with gravel for parking similar to what they’ve done at the Brock Environmental Center.
They’ve made the open space substantially smaller – including access to the water – with all the fences. I hope they will hurry to open up the rest of the land. They’re already torn down most of what was in disrepair, so there’s a lot of open land just going to waste behind the fence.