A pontoon boat docks at Eagle Lake Landing as Derick Statum, far left, Clayton Ashton and Layton Breithaupt cool off from the summer heat Wednesday. (The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[06/11/01] The public landing at Eagle Lake has a new look for summer because of a $52,455 upgrade completed in May.

“It looks really nice now,” Pearl Nevels said. Nevels owns Eagle Shore Grocery on Shell Beach Road adjacent to the boat ramp.

She said she is particularly glad a road beside the grocery is paved. “We tried to get them to do it two years ago,” she said. “But it looks like they did a good job.”

The project included erosion repair, sidewalk repairs, additional drainage areas, curb and gutter installation and paving of a gravel road adjacent to the public parking area at the landing.

Most of the funding came from a Department of Wildlife and Fisheries grant in August 2000 to complete Phase I of LeTourneau Landing. Phase I completed the construction of a low-water ramp, and Phase II is set to begin this summer if more money is allocated.

About $50,000 was left over from the LeTourneau project’s first phase, and that money was applied to the Eagle Lake project. The remainder came from the county.

County engineer John McKee said it was important to spend all of the money from the grant for Phase I before asking for more money from the state to continue the project.

Dirt Woks Inc., a Vicksburg company, performed the work after winning the contract with the low bid in April.

Though the low bid was $8,000 more than county estimates, it was accepted because funds did not come from a specified source.

Dixie Rees, who lives in the Eagle Lake area and travels Shell Beach Road daily, said she is pleased with the improvements.

“I like what they did,” Rees said. “It’s a lot better than what they had before.”

McKee said the company completed the work in the allotted 45 days.