Lakeside fuel sale interruptions are anticipated as boating access grant project begins
The city of Jacksonville announced construction on long-awaited improvements to the lakeside park, located at 2605 Aqua Vista Drive, are set to begin in early November. The nearly $1.8 million project is possible thanks to a $1 million Boating Access Grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Project highlights include a new restroom facility, new double concrete boat launch and a completely new fueling system to include tank, point of sale unit and fuel pump. New mooring docks will be constructed to serve the existing and new boat launches, along with additional parking to accommodate park and boat launch users. A hoist-style lift will be installed to load wheelchairs onto boats near the existing boat launch. Improvements will require demolition of existing structures and the removal of some trees. Work is expected to be completed in June 2025.
The replacement of the existing fuel system will result in the suspension of lakeside fuel sales. Fuel sales are expected to cease Friday, Nov. 15. The city will work closely with the contractor to mitigate downtime, but the outage is expected to last through a significant portion of the project. The city may offer lakeside fuel sales via fuel trailer on select occasions throughout construction.
The city initially sought funding for this project over four years ago when it began pursuing the TPWD grant. Application, award, design and due diligence processes were finalized in early 2024 and the project was advertised for bids in May of 2024. The only bid received in May was for an amount well-above the estimated project cost, and per the design engineer's recommendation, the Jacksonville City Council formally rejected the bid at the June 2024 meeting. The project was readvertised for bids in June 2024. The second project advertisement yielded three bids which were opened on July 1, 2024. Tyler-based, Hartbeat Construction, was the lowest qualified bidder with a bid of $1.78 million. The city council awarded the project to Hartbeat at its July 9 meeting.
A release by the city expressed appreciation for the community's support and patience as improvements are made to create a safer, more enjoyable environment at Lake Jacksonville.
