The new structures at the Stone Lake and Veterans Memorial Lake to make fishing more handicapped accessible are starting to take shape, and other features are being installed as well, said Great Bend Public Lands Director Scott Keeler said.

At Stone Lake, located at the end of South Washington, the Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant fishing dock is in place, as is the ADA-accessible sidewalk leading to it, Keeler said. All that remains to be done is clearing and area and laying asphalt millings to create a level parking surface.

Also at Stone, a kayak/canoe launcher has been installed. In consists of a channel for someone to place their craft, along with notches for their oars.

Keeler said one can launch and dock their kayaks and canoes and remain dry. The idea for this came up during a Great Bend Quality of Life Committee meeting.

At Veterans situated in northwest Great Bend, the ADA-compliant dock is in place, but the water level is down three feet, and two feet below the average. Once the water returns to normal, the dock will be handicapped accessible, Keeler said.

The new sidewalk should be in place by the month’s end, weather permitting, Keeler said.