Volunteers preserve memories, keep growing plants from Lake Lure’s Flowering Bridge

LAKE LURE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Lake Lure’s Flowering Bridge was once the home to more than 2,000 species of plants and thousands of visitors almost 100 years before it was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. Now, it’s set to be torn down on August 18.

Jenn Brady would frequently visit the lake and flowering bridge.

“We couldn’t believe what had actually happened,” Brady said. “It’s almost like a second punch that the rest of the bridge has to go.”

On Thursday, Lake Lure officials announced the flowering bridge will be torn down due to significant structural impacts from the storm.

Debbie Clark is the bridge’s education director. She said of the 30 gardens that ran along the bridge, only eight are left.

“Of all the years that we’ve all put into this garden, working on it, and to see it all just gone, I mean, that was so overwhelming to see what was here just totally gone,” Clark said.

The education center was just three weeks away from opening when Hurricane Helene hit. Clark said it might just be the first thing to reopen as recovery efforts continue and missing memories like parts of the rainbow bridge continue to be found.

“Once we get all the infrastructure done, then we can start planting, and a lot of the plants right now on the west end, I’ve been taking care of them, so they’ll be coming back here to their home again,” Clark said.

Officials anticipate the lake to reopen next spring. Plans are in the works to figure out what the rest of the area will look like based on recovery funds.

“They’ll bring it back,” Brady said. “It’s going to take time, but it’ll happen.”