After months of waiting, ground has been broken on Wetumpka’s new boat ramp.
According to Fisheries Development Coordinator Damon Abernathy, the plans for the city’s new ramp had been ready for some time and were just awaiting the departing governor’s signature before work could begin.
“That’s all we were waiting on,” said Abernathy.
Work on the new ramp, located directly across from Gold Star Park began earlier in the week.
“We wanted to go in and rough-in the ramp area,” said Abernathy.
“With these winter rains, the river could flood again and put us behind.”
Tri-County Construction is doing the dirt work and then Abernathy’s crew will come in and pour the 20-feet wide ramp. Tri-County will then finish the rest of the construction.
“The ramp is going to be angled to make launching and loading the boat easier because you aren’t flat against the current,” said Abernathy.
The area surrounding the lock will also be landscaped to have a 20-trailer parking lot and then a gravel overflow parking lot in the area behind Wetumpka’s First Baptist Church.
“If anybody decides to have a tournament then that will give them extra space,” said Abernathy.
He also added the new launch will feature a six-foot walkway and a wharf style pier.
“The only drawback is that you are only going to be able to launch or load one boat at a time,” said Abernathy. “But I don’t know if we would be able to get a second ramp in there.”
Once completed, the area will operate in a similar fashion to Bonner’s Point on Lake Jordan.
Anglers will turn off the bridge, drive down to the ramp and launch their boat and then go park.
“We are going to use the existing roads coming into the ramp, but coming out of will be completely new,” said Abernathy.
Once completed, the Alabama Department of Conservation will take ownership of the ramp and give control of the launch at Gold Star Park back to the city.
“I’m sure they will keep it open, but if they wanted to have something in the park and close the ramp, they would be able to do that,” said Abernathy. “Right now, they have to keep it open.”