Expanded marina for Mosquito set for 2023 | News, Sports, Jobs - Tribune Chronicle

2022-08-31 08:01:30 By : Mr. Mike Ma

BAZETTA –The marina at Mosquito Lake State Park will see changes in 2023 with construction of a new, larger building and other additions and improvements.

Joe Sofchek, who oversees the marina, said it will be closed after Labor Day for the project. Construction will begin on Sept. 12.

The project is being recommended by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which is covering project costs at under $2 million.

“The state told us the marina needed an upgrade,” he said.

Sofchek, who has been the concessionaire for the state at the marina for 21 years, said there is a garage-sized bait shop / store built in 1998 next to a food trailer. The store has fishing gear, novelties, drinks and other items.

“That building is going to be torn down this year. Our new building will be three times the size of this one,” he said.

Plans are to have a larger bait shop / store closer to the road that will include restrooms. Sofchek said there also will be additions for storage and a larger boating dock area and fueling dock area.

Sofchek said a gas tank by the bait shop will be moved near the tree line by the wooded area nearby.

“We will have a lot of landscaping done with a new boating dock,” he said.

Sofchek said the new addition also will have an overhang for people to sit under and eat, just like a picnic area.

“The new building will look log cabin stylish,” he said.

Sofchek said the project should be complete by March or April 2023 with work ongoing in the fall and winter months.

He said the project was originally to be started last May, so the marina did not schedule any of the events or concerts that it usually hosts throughout the summer. Sofchek said the state then moved the project to September.

Josie McKenna, park manager at Mosquito Lake, said work will be done by Declan Construction of Brookfield.

“I am very excited about what will be taking shape here. We look forward to the changes and improvements,” she said.

Sofchek and McKenna said the project includes getting new flush toilets to replace the portable toilets, a new disability-accessible fueling dock and relocating the fueling tank that’s currently on the shoreline and obstructing views.

Sofchek said usually the marina closes for the season in mid-November but this year, Labor Day will be the last day.

He said it has also been difficult to find anyone to help work at the marina and shop this year.

A grand reopening will be planned in 2023 with a concert and other activities.

“This was a quiet summer but next year there will be a lot of things happening when we have the new building,” Sofchek said.

He said the Bazetta Safety Day in June was successful and brought a lot of families to the marina.

While the retail store, the fueling dock and the food stand are closing after Labor Day, the docks in the marina will remain open.

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