HARDY (Ky.) – The Belfry community is launching a new venture that aims to bring tourists into the Pond Creek area.
“This is a great area. It’s an area that isn’t being used very well right now. We want it.” Matt Varney said, “We want to do it here.” “We have big ideas.”
Varney and Danny Oliver, Varney’s partner, announced Thursday that they will give Hardy Park an entirely new look. The park’s “Feuding Fall Campground and Waterpark”, named after the historic Hatfield- McCoy feud in the area, will offer a variety of new activities.
It’s going to take time. It’s important to be patient. Although we want to accomplish a lot, it is a slow process. Varney stated that we are working on it and that this is a major step today.
These upgrades aim to create a family-friendly environment that is easy to use without requiring them to travel far.
Varney stated, “We want them to stay right here and to be able to do this.” “Many people are unable to travel like that. We want to make sure that our youth have the opportunity to travel in a way that is both affordable and time-saving.
Oliver says that the couple hopes to complete the first phase of the many phases by Memorial Day 2021. This phase will include the addition of two 250-foot slides to the pool area and the creation of a campground.
Dist. Three Commissioner Brian Booth and Dist.
Booth stated that instead of moving to Lexington, Tennessee, or anywhere else they can get their money from, they want to invest all of it in the area of Pike County.
They also plan to make the park more functional by adding a children’s area to the space where the tennis courts are. They also plan to build cabins on the property in the future.
They are looking forward to the first phase and the support from their neighbors and local leaders. They are optimistic about the potential tourism opportunities that will arise from adding the park to their list of local adventure tourism options.
Varney stated, “For local people have something to do but we want to attract people.” “We want it to be nice enough that people will come from far away to spend their money in eastern Kentucky.
Construction of the water slides will begin in September. If there are no issues, the pool should be open by spring 2022. The campground is expected to open around the same time.