The boating season is about to get a lot better on Lake Ray Hubbard.
Contractors are set to begin repairing the Bass Pro Shops boat dock, which has been closed for several months.
"The sooner we can get this repaired the better," said Bass Pro Shops manager Ryan Niemeyer.
The dock was damaged by high water last spring and summer, then again by the December tornado, which passed nearly overhead.
The long dock – with 20 slips, offering capacity for 40 boats – soon split in two.
One end of the dock was closed in February, then the other followed shortly afterwards.
"The damage here is quite substantial, so we made a decision for the safety of our customers that we want to make sure this dock is repaired properly," said Niemeyer.
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"They're going to reinforce outside in the front so they can minimize any damage in the future," Niemeyer added. "We just wanted to make sure that 100 percent of the repairs are done properly before we open back up."
Nearby businesses at Harbor Point that benefit from boaters are anxious for the dock to reopen.
"It just makes it harder for boaters to come out here, dock their boat," said Amber Sealy, manager at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium. "A lot of people call and ask if the docks are open and we have to tell them no."
The repair work is scheduled to begin Wednesday and could last weeks, but the dock is expected to reopen before the end of summer.
