Delayed Dock Repair Drags On

One may ask, "Why still closed?"

The Levy County Engineer condemned the "Big Dock," Cedar Key's biggest and perhaps primary tourist attraction on September 30, 2004. Twelve days later Levy County applied for FEMA funds to repair the storm damaged dock. Now, two years later, plans to rebuild the dock have not been completed. Bidding and construction are still months away.

One newspaper reported optimistically that the dock might reopen by Labor Day, 2005. Levy County officials now say that structural engineering plans may be finalized by "the first of November." Assuming bids go out in November, with thirty days for responses, construction might start in December, 2006. Current estimates are that construction could be completed in three months, possibly as early as April 1, 2007. That is with the hope that a competent large firm would get the contract.

Notice of dock closure regularly ignored.

Business owners on Dock Street say that closure of the dock for two years has hurt them in the pocketbook. Meanwhile, unauthorized use of the dock by spongers' boats continues. Recently two local artists bypassed a four foot barrier for a day of painting on the dock.