Corpus Christi’s beloved Mustang Island State Park is closed indefinitely. The park was heavily impacted by Hurricane Harvey, and park officials are still assessing the damages.
While the beach itself held up well, Rick Meyers, region director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said he cannot predict when the state park will reopen.
“What we’re dealing with currently is a badly damaged headquarters,” he said. “The day-use booth is totally gone; restroom and showers totally gone; resident housing is destroyed.”
Also, the main road to the beach washed out, leaving a 6-foot drop-off.
“So, you can’t reach the beach at all,” he continued.
TPWD is working to get the headquarters and the RV portion of the beloved state park up by January 2018.
“The old restroom will not be repaired,” Meyers said. “We have been rewarded a contract for a new restroom facility, so we will be without restrooms or showers for about a year.”
So far, TPWD has focused recovery efforts on the RV park with its electrical pedestals for the winter Texans who stay at the park each year. The loss of that annual revenue has already had a negative financial impact on the park.
For regular beachgoers, though, the timeline will be much longer.
“We don’t have a schedule for the beach access road because (the Texas Department of Transportation) has to rebuild it,” Meyers said.
Restoring the access road, which has been deemed unsafe for both vehicles and pedestrians, depends on TxDOT’s timeline as repairs of hurricane-damaged roads across the Coastal Bend continue.
Follow facebook.com/MustangIslandSP for updates on the park’s progress as it goes through reconstruction.
Mustang Island State Park closed indefinitely
While Mustang Island State Park's beach and dunes did not sustain any damage from Hurricane Harvey, much of the park’s infrastructure was destroyed. Courtesy photo