Storm damage closes Sports Pavilion Lawrence recreation trails for repairs

Mud, erosion and bridge damage have shut down the recreation trails behind Sports Pavilion Lawrence, cutting off a popular walking and running route that stretches to East 1000 Road after a hard stretch of rain and wind in Lawrence.

Lawrence Parks and Recreation announced the closure on social media and said the damaged trail system is unsafe until crews can stabilize the surface and repair the affected bridge. The city did not give a reopening estimate, saying repairs will take some time and that residents should watch for updates.

The closure came after Lawrence took 2.97 inches of rain from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m. Monday, April 27, with roughly 4 to 5 inches falling across the city and surrounding area over the previous week. From April 1 through April 26, Lawrence had already recorded 4.66 inches of rain, above the April average of 3.37 inches. The strongest part of the storm also produced sporadic 60 to 65 mph winds, enough to bring down trees and contribute to flash-flood warnings and road closures across Douglas County.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said several roads were closed after the heavy rains, including East 1000 Road and North 1750 Road, also known as Farmer’s Turnpike. The trail closure adds another practical after-effect for people who use the Sports Pavilion Lawrence area as a daily exercise loop or a connector to open space near Rock Chalk Park.

For walkers and runners who need a nearby backup, Sports Pavilion Lawrence includes an eighth-mile indoor walking and jogging track inside its 181,000-square-foot facility. The center, which opened in 2014, also has eight full-size basketball courts, 16 full-size volleyball courts, indoor turf and soccer space, outdoor tennis courts and more than 5 miles of walking trails. Admission is free for Douglas County residents, which makes the outdoor trail system a widely used low-cost option when weather allows.

The damage is a reminder that severe weather keeps hitting Douglas County’s recreation and transportation infrastructure at the same time. The National Weather Service office in Topeka has documented earlier severe weather events across northeast Kansas, including storms with strong winds, heavy rain and flooding, a pattern that helps explain why runoff and trail washouts keep returning after big spring storms.