ORANGE, Texas — Harvey left leaders at the Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center with no choice but to close. Now, after almost a year of hard work, the facility is ready to reopen.
The first visitors will be welcomed September 12.
The gardens, one of Orange's more well known tourist attractions, were covered by about two feet of flood water during the tropical storm. The director of Shangri La says he can't wait for the community to see their progress. Admission to the gardens is free. Regular hours will be Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Staff call the gardens a 250 acre oasis in the heart of Orange.
"Places like Shangri La are really intended to give people an understanding of the beauty and the importance of nature, and of course we serve our community through education. We're nearly finished with the six major buildings at Shangri La that are being restored, and of course the gardens are in the final phases of prep," explained director Rick Lewandowski.
The center hopes to offer visitors a way to connect to nature and wildlife and maybe even see an alligator sunning itself on Ruby Lake.
Outpost tours remain suspended until early 2019 until repairs can be completed.