Cheaha State Park Assistant Superintendent Brian Casey says he has found his job atop the highest peak in Alabama to be a bit more laid back and varied than when he worked as a policeman in Baton Rouge, La.

Not only is he finding the job, which he has been at for the past four years, to be enjoyable but he, like all the other employees you talk to, is very proud to be a part of the park and helping maintain one of Alabama's outdoor treasures.

One of those maintenance issues includes helping build and put together new playground equipment down at the park's lake.

The project was made possible through donations, park friends, and ADECA grant, the assistance of Senator Kim Benefield and AP refunds.

Casey said he joined six park maintenance men who worked three days on the project.

Talking about additional plans as he stands before the six-acre lake built by hand by Civilian Conservation Corp workers during the Depression, Casey said he would like to see the lake area become the premier day use park through the renovations and addition of two more paddle boats and a flat-bottomed boat. He wants to see the pavilion painted and the original CCC built bathhouse renovated.

"We are the oldest continuously operating state park in Alabama," he said.

The park was built between 1933 and 1937 with CCC labor and opened in 1934.

He also would like to renovate and reopen the old primitive campground which is nearby and once served as the base camp for the CCC workers who built the park.

With a downturn in the economy the park has had to cut some positions and make use of volunteer labor and some titled job workers may find themselves doing a variety of work.

Casey explains that for Cheaha, business starts picking up around Memorial Day and continues through Thanksgiving.

The last days of November can be very busy as bus loads of tourists come to see the leaves change colors.

The park contains 2,799 acres and is surrounded by the Talladega National Forrest.

The hotel and restaurant were built in the 1970's but most of the other rock structures were built by the CCC.

Another hope is to establish a CCC museum in one of the structures in the park.

The popular observation tower was considered but is much too damp. It was the first structure built by the CCC.

The Bald Rock Lodge, built several years ago, is a big draw and money maker for the park and attracts business clients from Birmingham and Atlanta.

The Doug Ghee quarter-mile walking trail out to Bald Rock is another favorite area of the park.