Monroe council awaiting news on Lake Tye wakeboard facility

With several key dates looming in the near future, the city of Monroe anticipates further discussion on H3O Development's proposed wakeboard facility at Lake Tye Park.

As of last week, the deadline for opening the wakeboard park was less than a month away, but there were no visible signs of construction at Lake Tye. Monroe City Administrator Gene Brazel said he received notification on Thursday, Aug. 11, from H3O managing partner Greg Dick, who indicated he would have a project update for Brazel to provide during the Monroe City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 16.

The idea behind Propullsion Cablepark is that wakeboarders and water-skiers would be propelled around the lake using a mechanized cable towing system, thus eliminating the need for a boat. Riders, pulled by cables suspended from towers approximately 30 feet above the surface of the water, would travel around the lake in a semicircular pattern until they either fall or arrive at the exit area.

The five-tower cable system at the park would accommodate things like wakeboarding, water skiing, knee boarding and water skating. The cable system would be driven by an adjustable-speed, 37-kilowatt electric motor and regulated by an experienced cable operator.

The project has been besieged with funding issues since its proposal in 2012.

According to the concessionaire agreement between H3O and the city, H3O has until Aug. 17 to either provide written notice to the city confirming the cable park facility will be open for use by the public no later than Sept. 4, or to request an extension of the Sept. 4 deadline.-á The contract further states that if for any reason the park is not open by Sept. 8, the agreement terminates automatically.

"If they don't take action and the facility isn't ready to open by Sept. 8, then they'll be out of contract,GÇ¥ Brazel said during the Monroe City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9.

This item was tentatively scheduled to be on the agenda during the Aug. 23 council meeting, and an update from Brazel is anticipated this week.-á