'The best boat ramp': PC Commission awards $4.1 million contract to build Snug Harbor

Nathan Cobb, The News Herald
·2 min read

PANAMA CITY — Residents soon will have access to a new, state-of-the-art boat launch facility.

Panama City Commissioners last week approved a motion to award Inland Construction and Engineering, a local general contractor based in Panama City, with a more than $4.1 million contract to build Snug Harbor.

Slated to be located just east of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Office off East Fifth Street, Snug Harbor will give boaters better access to Watson Bayou.

"In my mind, it should be the best boat ramp with the best amenities that the city has," said Jared Jones, assistant city manager of Panama City. "The city's goal is to provide as many access points to the water as possible."

Local residents will soon have access to Snug Harbor, a new, state-of-the-art boat ramp facility that will give boaters better access to Watson Bayou.
Local residents will soon have access to Snug Harbor, a new, state-of-the-art boat ramp facility that will give boaters better access to Watson Bayou.

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Jones also said the city acquired the property for the facility "years ago," but it wasn't until recently that it narrowed down a funding source for the project.

It will be paid for using money from the American Rescue Plan Act, an initiative designed to help families, small businesses and governments recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Tuesday meeting's agenda, Inland Construction and Engineering was the lowest of four bidding companies that submitted proposals with Panama City to build Snug Harbor.

The harbor was designed by Panhandle Engineering, a civil engineer based in Lynn Haven.

A rendering of Snug Harbor, which will be located just east of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Office off East 5th Street.
A rendering of Snug Harbor, which will be located just east of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Office off East 5th Street.

"This is going to be a premier boat launch destination," Jones said. "This is going to be something that boaters are going to prefer to use. ... I think it's just going to be a world-class facility, and that's what we're all about building."

For Mayor Greg Brudnicki, Snug Harbor is an important addition for Panama City because residents need more access to the area's natural waterways. Brudnicki said he hopes for more boat launches to be built throughout the city once the project is complete.

Snug Harbor will boast more than 50 parking spaces, two boat ramps, bathrooms, a playground and wash down stations.

Construction on the project should begin within about two months and take at least six months to complete.

"We improved (boat launches) in Millville, and now we're going to do that with Snug Harbor ... and we're not going to stop there," Brudnicki said. "We're going to continue to make sure that our citizens have property access to the 26 miles of coastlines (in) Panama City."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Commission awards contract for Snug Harbor construction