The Decatur City Council has approved a project to upgrade the Nelson Park boat ramps and docks, which were originally constructed in the 1960s. The chosen ramp and dock design was the overwhelming favorite design as voted on by the public in a previous survey. The Nelson Park boat ramps will be completely closed for this project (tentatively starting September 14) to allow substantial completion before winter weather impacts work. The project is expected to be complete and the ramps reopened by April 2027.
Upgrades include completely replacing the existing concrete ramps with longer and wider launching lanes to better accommodate today's boats and trailers, improve launch efficiency, and enhance overall boater safety. The existing docks will be replaced with new floating, ADA-compliant docks that are consistent with the recently upgraded marina dock system.
The nearly $800,000 project will be completed by a local contractor and it was budgeted for in the Water Lake Capital budget. Boaters may utilize other public launches such as the Staley Boat Ramp, Lost Bridge ramp, and Faries Park ramp during the closure. The city apologizes for any inconvenience while the main ramps are upgraded.
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