A portion of the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park will be closed next week as crews work to conduct repairs on an “open subsidence,” according to city officials.
On Friday afternoon, the city issued an advisory on behalf of the Ocala Water Resources Department regarding the repairs, which will take place next week.
“Due to the necessary repairs for an open subsidence, a portion of the Ocala Wetland Recharge Park will be closed beginning Tuesday, April 2,” reads the statement.
According to the city, the park will remain open to visitors, as the closure will only impact a few trails and educational exhibits. The parking lot, public bathrooms, and drinking fountains will all remain open. The park is normally open from sunrise to sunset.
“All visitors are asked to avoid the subsidences and obey trail closures. During this time, there may be dust and noise around the park. All necessary actions will be taken to minimize disturbances to wildlife,” reads the statement from the city.
According to the United States Geological Survey, sinkholes are a form of “subsidence,” which is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth’s surface due to subsurface movement of earth materials.
Earlier this year, the city reported a spill of approximately 1.5 million gallons of public access reuse water after a sinkhole formed in Wetland Cell 1 at the park, which is located at 2205 NW 21st Street.