BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. (828newsNOW) — When Tropical Storm Helene blew through Western North Carolina in September 2024, the storm destroyed buildings, riverbanks and, in Black Mountain, River Walk Dog Park.
A year and a half later, Amanda Latta, 16, is contributing to the reconstruction of River Walk, one picnic table, flower bed and birdhouse at a time.
From dog park to Eagle Scout
Latta, a junior at Owen High School, grew up taking her dog to River Walk. When she was talking to dog owners in her community after Helene, she knew just where to send them.
“I saw so many people with dogs that were like, I wish we had a dog park, and I’m like, we do,” Latta recalled. “Then I went to take my dog there one day, and it was just kind of gone, after the hurricane.”
As an aspiring Eagle Scout with Scouting America Troop 4042, Latta knew exactly what she could do for her Eagle-qualifying community service project.
“A lot of people in my community loved to take their dogs there, and I thought that would be something meaningful for me to do for my Eagle project,” Latta said.
It takes a village
Latta has worked closely with the town of Black Mountain to execute the project. While Latta is working to install two picnic tables, fixing and replacing birdhouses and planting trees, town officials have replaced the dog park fencing and shade structure.
To bring the picnic tables to the park, Latta first had to obtain her floodplain certification from the town.
“I had to meet with the director of Parks and Rec and a floodplain engineer,” Latta said. “We talked about where the floodplain was and where I could put my stuff. We had a blueprint and everything of where the lines were, and we met there one day and we put marks and flags of where we’re gonna do it.”
In addition to working with parks and recreation employees in Black Mountain, Latta has collaborated closely with Black Mountain residents to bring her project to fruition.
“There is usually a group, they call it The Pack, that meets there with a bunch of different people, a bunch of different jobs, and they’re like, how can we help?” Latta said. “They’ve been suggesting things, they’ve planted some wildflowers and everything.”
Their dogs have joined, too.
“There are two huge Rottweilers. They’re the sweetest things ever,” Latta said.
Takeaways from the task
Latta estimated that the park would be back to pre-storm conditions by late August or early September, but before she began work on the project, she never anticipated it would take as long as it has.
“I didn’t know it was gonna be this complicated. I thought it was gonna be like, boom, boom, two work days and I’m done. But I’m learning it’s a process, and these things are gonna be a process,” Latta said. “I’ve just learned so much from my mentors, my father and a bunch of the other people I worked with on how to carry out the project.”
Latta’s parents, Joanne Latta and Chris Latta, have been proud to see their daughter persevere through bringing the park back to life.
“Of course, I’m her mom, so I’m biased,” Joanne Latta said. “But there were a lot of times where she could have said, well, ‘Forget this! This is a lot more complicated than I thought it was going to be,’ and could have just gone on to some other more simple project. But I’m just, for the record, incredibly proud of her.”
Latta’s parents are not her only family members who are excited about the project. Latta rescued her dog, Rory, after Helene, and is looking forward to bringing her to the park, too.
In the meantime, Black Mountain residents can survey the progress of the project at the park, located behind the old Bi-Lo at 205 NC-9.