Headed to AJ Jolly Park? Here’s what’s closed during construction
Work is now underway on the safety project at AJ Jolly Park.
As of July 31, portions of the park are closed to public access as crews begin lake dredging operations and spillway reconstruction.
Most of AJ Jolly Park will remain open throughout the work.
Areas now closed in the park:
Lake access road: Closed beyond the turnoff to the pavilion and maintenance garage. This closure applies to all traffic, including vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and joggers.
Equestrian area and horse trails: Closed until further notice.
Disc golf course: Holes 7 and 8 will be closed. The remaining holes will stay open.
Dam and spillway: Access is closed on both sides.
New safety signs and fencing are being installed in AJ Jolly Park and the dam area to restrict access to contracted construction crews. Visitors are asked to observe all posted signage, plan their visits accordingly and use caution around work zones.
Camping and park admission remain closed. Lake access for fishing, kayaking and other recreation is suspended for the duration of construction.
Park admission is free.
AJ Jolly Lake is a 200-acre fishing and recreational lake within the 1,000-acre AJ Jolly Park, the largest county park in Kentucky. The lake’s dam was constructed in 1960, and in 1983, a spillway (a structure that allows excess water to pass over or around a dam) and a bridge were built. Since then, sediment and other natural factors have gone unmaintained, lowering water levels in some places to inches.
Crews will repair concrete and foundations, improve the system that controls lake levels and fix drainage to preserve the dam’s strength for decades to come. The dam is safe today, but the county said that proactive repairs are necessary to keep it that way for the future.
Lowering the AJ Jolly Lake water level was necessary for safe dam work and also enabled the county to complete other significant improvements simultaneously. As part of that work, the Campbell County Fiscal Court accepted a bid from Prus Construction for the AJ Jolly Spillway Reconstruction project for $3,518,256.50 at its meeting on May 6.
Elberfeld said at the May meeting that the project has been a long time in the making, something he has worked on for about 10 years.
“The spillway is not at any imminent risk of failure,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to get that impression, but it is inspected annually by the division of water, and over time, there’s been some voids and deficiencies in the concrete that make it prudent to replace that that’s what this bit award was.”
Crews will dredge the lake to remove built-up sediment and replace the culvert near Flatwoods Road Cove with a new bridge.
Most of AJ Jolly Park will remain open during construction.
The golf course, Stapleton Pavilion, shelters, playgrounds, sports fields, tennis and pickleball courts, and the open holes of the disc golf course will stay available, though some areas near active work zones may be restricted for safety. Signature events will continue with scheduling adjustments as needed, including Jolly Thursdays, Music Nights, the Sun Valley Bluegrass Festival, Festival on the Lake, and Spooktacular.
The county said it will follow environmental guidelines throughout the project to protect wildlife and natural habitats. Removing sediment and deepening the lake will improve water quality, reduce harmful warming in shallow areas and create better fish habitat.
“This project builds on steady upgrades since 2021, when outdoor spaces became even more important for families,” said Campbell County in a news release.
The county has added amenities to the park in recent years, including new campsites, yurts, and shelters, along with bathrooms and shower houses. Recreation was expanded with upgraded playgrounds and several new kayak amenities. Trails and lake access were improved, including a longer, safer boat ramp. A new RV waste disposal station was installed to support campers. Through a partnership with altafiber, free public Wi-Fi now covers AJ Jolly Park, the golf course, and Pendery Park.
The project is funded through county, state and grant resources, with no new resident fees being added.
Read more about the process of the AJ Jolly Park project here.
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