Matt Hamilton/Daily Citizen-NewsDalton Parks and Recreation Department Director Mike Miller says summer rains have delayed construction on the park at the Haig Mill reservoir but officials plan to open it to the public on Saturday, Sept. 8.

DALTON, Ga. — Dalton Parks and Recreation Department Director Mike Miller says the city plans a Sept. 8 “soft” opening of the park at the Haig Mill reservoir.

Officials said a grand opening will be held in the future. No date has been set.

“Rock Creek Outfitters (from Chattanooga) will be coming on three consecutive Saturdays starting on Sept. 8 to conduct kayak clinics,” Miller said. “People can learn to kayak, practice their skills. There will be different levels of training. That will be the first time the public will be allowed in.”

The park is being built with $5 million from the 2015 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). It will include a 3.1-mile walking/biking trail around the park, fishing piers and a boating dock for paddle boats and canoes, a picnic pavilion, an amphitheater/outdoor classroom and a nature-themed playground. The playground won’t be ready for the soft opening.

Astra Group of Woodstock is building the park.

People will be able to bring their own canoes and kayaks or rent them at the park.

“Everything will have to be human powered. No motors,” Miller said. “We also won’t be allowing paddle boards. Because this is a drinking water reservoir, we are trying to keep people out of the water.”

That means swimming won’t be allowed.

Dogs will not be allowed into the park, either, because of clean water concerns.

The park will be open from sunup to sunset.

Officials had hoped to open the park to the public this month, but Miller said the heavy rains this summer have delayed work a little.

“Lately, we’ve been trying to pretty things up, planting things, putting down topsoil, and the rain just washes it away,” he said. “The rain has really made the weeds grow up, so we’ve still got some more work on the trails.”

Miller said there will be a change order to the project presented to the City Council members at their Aug. 20 meeting to formally extend the construction period for the park.

“It will allow the on-site engineers to remain here to oversee the project. It won’t change the budget,” he said.

Council members voted 4-0 on two other change orders at their Monday meeting:

• Approving $9,634 to remove unsuitable soil from the corners of an unpaved parking lot.

• Approving $89,430 for additional paving.

Both will come out of the 2015 SPLOST.

Council members also approved a $187,952 bid from GameTime of Longwood, Florida, for a playground for the park.

Though the park isn’t yet open, some people have been slipping inside to walk the trails.

“While construction is underway, parts of the fence are temporarily attached to allow movement of machinery and materials around the site,” said City Administrator Jason Parker. “I think people are talking advantage of that. The construction area is full of hazards and we are cautioning people to stay out for safety reasons.”

He said the police department will patrol the area and ask those caught in the park to leave.