KIRTLAND, Ohio — The storms and tornadoes that tore through Northeast Ohio three weeks ago may be in the rearview mirror for many, but the cleanup continues for some, including those at Holden Arboretum in Lake County.
"It’s been a whirlwind, literally, I guess," chuckled Beth Kelly, director of guest experience at Holden Forests and Gardens, which oversees the arboretum.
The popular preserve closed for a week following the storms, and we drove the grounds to see what it looked like three weeks later. Stumps and logs could be seen at several turns, while major sections like the botanical gardens looked as if they had been unaffected by the storm.
As Kelly points out, they’re wrapping up cleanup for the most part, reusing as much debris as they can for mulch or other future projects.
"[We're taking] care of the damage, but also keeping track of the damage because we’re a living museum," Kelly explained.
Crews told News 5 that they hope to have all the debris left cleared out by the end of the week.
The Emergent Tower, which was not damaged but was closed for routine maintenance, reopened last week.
However, the popular canopy walk is set to stay closed for a while as they wait for specialized crews to repair this intricate system of cables.
"It’s a delicate process," Kelly said. "One of the cables that holds up the structures actually needs to be replaced."
It’s not yet clear what the final bill will be to bring it back to a new normal; however, the arboretum has raised more than $65,000 to help with cleanup. To learn more and to donate, CLICK HERE.
Reusing as much of the debris as they can – whether that’s mulch or wood that can be used later.
In addition to its usual hours of Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the arboretum will be open for the Labor Day holiday.
