City seeks proposals for Hot Waters

Proposals due to the Lorain Engineering Department by April 7

Summer suppliers of bait, tackle and drinks can make their pitch for using Lorain’s Municipal Boat Ramp.

The city is seeking proposals for a seasonal service or concession stand at the dock, known as Hot Waters. It sits on the port of Lorain next to the city Water Treatment Plant, which is behind the city Utilities Department office at 1106 W. First St.

The proposals are due April 7. Anyone selected must have their nightcrawler and snack stand out by Nov. 15, according to the city guidelines.

So far the city administration has received calls about using the space, said Safety-Service Director Dan Given.

The city hopes to get plans to use any combination of three available cityowned parcels.

One is a 1.38-acre parcel with frontage along West First Street.

That land is included to see what ideas potential users could have for it, Given said.

Another areas is the 1.3-acre parcel that is surrounded by water on three sides. It is not one of the two long finger piers, but the section of land that extends into the water west of the finger piers, said Philip Turske, contract and grant administrator for the city.

The third parcel has the Hot Waters Bait Shop. Any proposal using the building must include a capital improvement plan with proof of finances, according to the city.

The building generally is in deplorable shape, according to an analysis that Given presented to City Council on Feb. 13. Council agreed it should be razed, but wanted the city to seek possible concession providers this year because the site is well used by Lorain anglers.

“It’s pretty rough down there,” Turske said. “It’s unfortunate but … time has taken its toll on that place.”

The city administration will allow potential users to enter the structure to see it before proposals are due, Given said, but the city has not invested any money to improve the building this year.

As for the future of Hot Waters, “the city will be open to negotiations for future possibilities based on the proposals received,” the city notice said. The city administration and Utilities Department also hope to reconfigure the driveway, leading from First Street down to the ramp, away from the west side of the city water plant, Given said.

But the city administration reserves the right to cancel the request for proposals or reject any proposals for this year.

Proposals can be sent by 3 p.m., April 7, to the Lorain Engineering Department, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, 44052; or by email to Philip_turske@cityoflorain.org. For more information, call 440-204-2008.