When will it be finished? Reportedly on schedule, Lucas Marine Construction (LMC) hopes to have the imposing concrete structure open by the Fourth of July. LMC's contract requires completion by early August. Whenever the project is completed, the "Big Dock" should be a Cedar Key landmark for decades if not centuries. (Our federally-funded lighthouse is more than 160 years old.) Despite complaints about the elevation of the deck, even the most foolhardy aircraft pilots won't try to fly under the dock. After years of searching for funding, geo-technical surveys and designing, the construction phase has moved along well since last November. Opinions on the date the construction project would be "officially" complete have been formalized by a contest sponsored by Cedar Key News. Generous prizes donated by Lucas Marine Construction, The Island Room at Cedar Cove and The Market at Cedar Key/Bryan's Big Deck Raw Bar will reward the three best estimates of official completion. Contest entries closed April 1, so the tension has been mounting for nearly three months. Without giving away any secrets, the pessimists that picked dates in 2009 are unlikely to be winners. The winners will be announced by Cedar Key News, online and in print, as soon as possible. | 