Three Mile cabin work underway

The outlines have been made.

The new cabin buildings for Three Mile Lake will soon fill in the lines.

Union County Conservation Board Tuesday reviewed an update from director Doug Jones about the construction of the two new cabins.

Jones said the sites for the buildings have been determined. In addition to the buildings, preliminary work for the access road to the cabins has also begun.

“The cabins should be in in early November,” he said.

Each cabin is planned to be three bedrooms, one bathroom with a loft. The loft will be open space allowing additional sleeping area. The cabins will measure about 28 feet by 44 feet plus an 8-feet covered porch at the entrance. The cabins will be handicap accessible and have full kitchen and laundry services. Two of the three bedrooms will hold three people. Each cabin will have water and sewer.

Jones is expecting a majority of the cabins to be ready after installation. There will be some detail work to complete after they have been set. “Most of the cabin will be ready,” he said.

He said all cement work for the cabins won’t happen until spring. Although a specific date when the cabins will be ready to rent has not been determined, the board is expecting sometime in summer 2025 after all landscaping has been completed.

The cabins are funded by $720,000 of the county’s American Rescue funds provided by the federal government during the COVID pandemic to make up for lost revenue. Union County received about $2.37 million. The cabin proposal has since received donations from other sources. Jones said the remaining American Rescue funds dedicated to the cabins will be used to furnish both cabins. He already has had some furnishings donated.

Jones said progress is being made on repairs to the Three Mile Lake lodge that suffered damage during the spring storms.

Board member Katie Carlton was not in attendance.