LAKE LURE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — With the lake shimmering behind him and recovery crews finally stepping back from months of work, Gov. Josh Stein stood Friday morning at Morse Park and declared a long-awaited milestone for Western North Carolina’s recovery: Lake Lure is reopening.

The announcement came nearly 20 months after Tropical Storm Helene devastated the lake and surrounding communities, filling the waterway with debris, sediment and wreckage while damaging homes, roads and businesses throughout the Hickory Nut Gorge.

Beginning Saturday, the town will open the Washburn Marina public boat ramp to permitted motorized vessels as part of Phase Two of Lake Lure’s reopening process. The Pool Creek Picnic Park ramp for non-motorized boats will remain open, and Lake Lure Beach is scheduled to reopen Memorial Day weekend.

“This moment represents the reopening of a treasured natural resource and much, much more,” Stein told the crowd gathered at the gazebo in Morse Park. “It’s also a showcase of folks’ resilience and the power of partnership.”

The event brought together local leaders, state lawmakers, federal agencies and recovery partners who spent more than a year restoring the lake after the storm.

Stein praised the work of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, contractors and volunteers who helped remove massive amounts of debris and sediment from the lake.

“The lake itself, as you all know, was utterly devastated,” Stein said. “But thanks to the support of FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, local contractors, local government leaders, residents and many, many volunteers, the lake is now restored.”

Col. Brad Morgan said crews worked seven days a week during the height of operations, with more than 100 trucks hauling debris and sediment from the lake area.

“At the height of our operations here, it was about 110 trucks working three turns a day,” Morgan said. “We saw firsthand the scale of the challenge.”

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Town officials called the reopening a major turning point for the tourism-dependent community.

Mayor Carol Pritchett described the lake as “the heart of this community” and said restoring it remained a top priority throughout the recovery process.

“Today marks an important step forward,” Pritchett said. “The reopening of Lake Lure represents renewed opportunities for recreation, for tourism, local businesses and community connection.”

Stein also used the event to encourage visitors to return to Western North Carolina, noting that tourism remains critical to the region’s recovery.

“There is something in Western North Carolina for pretty much everybody,” Stein said. “Unforgettable landscapes, unforgettable adventures, unforgettable food, wine and craft beer, unforgettable crafts, music, culture and most importantly, unforgettable people.”

Despite the reopening, officials cautioned that recovery work continues around the lake. Construction remains underway at Morse Park and Washburn Marina, including installation of marina docks and fuel pumps that are now expected to be completed in early to mid-June.

Town leaders also urged boaters to use caution because of ongoing recovery conditions and potential hazards in the water.

Stein acknowledged that major recovery challenges still remain across Western North Carolina, including housing repairs, infrastructure projects and economic recovery efforts.

“We need to invest in resiliency,” Stein said. “So when the next storm comes — and we pray it’s not for a very long time — we are better able to withstand it.”

Still, Friday’s ceremony focused largely on celebrating a visible sign of progress in one of the state’s hardest-hit communities.

“Tomorrow,” Morgan told the crowd, “the lake is open.”