Shawnee commissioners direct staff to move adaptive kayak launch at Lake 2 to fishing dock, vote 6-1

Shawnee City Commissioners voted 6-1 to direct staff to relocate the city’s adaptive kayak launch from its current canal location to the fishing dock at Lake 2 and to pursue the actions necessary to make the new site compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

City staff presented the item as a follow-up to prior reports and asked the commission for a directive. A staff member said the agenda placement was intended "as a follow-up action to last month's administrative report regarding the kayak launch" and asked the commission for direction on previously discussed options.

The commission debated three broad priorities: ensure the dock is in the water, honor donor intent, and make the facility accessible and ADA-compliant. Commissioners and staff described three cost options: a minimal approach previously discussed at about $60,000 that would create a striped parking stall and a compliant sidewalk attachment to the existing location; a larger full-design option that had been engineered and estimated in the low-to-mid $300,000 range; and intermediate approaches that would add parking, an ADA drop-off courtyard, restroom provisions and hard surfacing. Staff noted the project was partially funded in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at about $260,000 but the engineering estimate had been “north of $300,000.”

During public comment, Martin DeNoto, a downtown property owner and insurance professional, urged the commission not to accept the cheaper $60,000 plan if it would leave users — including people in wheelchairs and their caregivers — unable to use the site without hauling equipment long distances. DeNoto said asking people to carry or drag a kayak "no less than 68 yards" would make the launch effectively inaccessible and called the idea of the cheapest option "inhumane, disrespectful, self righteous." She also raised concerns about lack of restroom access and vehicle drop-off access for people with disabilities.

After debate, a commissioner moved and a motion was seconded to relocate the active kayak launch to the fishing dock at Lake 2 and to direct staff to take the actions necessary to make that relocation ADA-compliant and accessible. The motion carried 6-1.

The commission did not adopt final construction documents or set a firm budget in the meeting; staff said costs and schedules depend on the design selected and available funding. Staff indicated the $60,000 option did not include restroom facilities and would require extensive concessions to accessibility, while the full design includes parking for trailers and non-trailer vehicles, ADA stalls, hard surfacing and a potential bathroom. Staff said the project has been discussed in the CIP for multiple years but was never fully funded.

Commissioners asked staff to return with design, cost and funding options and to respect donor intent for any relocated facility. No funding appropriation was approved that evening; the action directed staff to proceed with planning and procurement steps necessary to relocate and make the dock compliant.

The relocation directive follows months of public comment and prior staff reports on the kayak launch and represents a policy direction rather than a contract award or construction authorization.