By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
Avid boaters could soon enjoy enhanced access to Cravath Lake in Whitewater as an improvement project gets underway.
The Common Council on June 16 awarded a $42,561 contract to Whitewater-based RR Walton and Company for the construction of the project, which calls for repairing an existing boat launch site and adding a few additional enhancements.
“This project will improve access to Cravath Lake for recreational boaters and lake harvesting equipment,” Matt Amundson, parks and recreation director, said. “The bid is under the anticipated budget.”
The council had earmarked $57,500 in the city’s capital improvements budget. RR Walton was the lowest of two bidders. The other company, Fort Atkinson-based Valia Excavating, provided a quote of $104,590.
At one point, plans had been in motion to seek grant dollars to bring the Cravath Lake effort to fruition.
“In 2014, we explored applying for a recreational boating funds grant for this work,” Amundson said. “The grant program requires a community to add parking as part of the project.”
After deliberations last year, appointed members of the city’s Parks and Recreation Board nixed the idea because of a perceived feeling the loss of green space would have a negative impact on the overall area.
In its current state, Amundson described the state of the boat launch as “poor.”
Early this spring, the city entered into a $12,000 contract with engineering firm Strand and Associates to design the improvement plans.
In addition to helping design the new boat launch site, staffers within Strand and Associates have assisted the city in obtaining the necessary permits to be in compliance with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) standards.
According to documents submitted to the city by Strand staffers, plans call for the project to wrap by the end of the summer.
