A new picnic pavilion near the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon and at the trailhead and kayak launch site for the Kachemak Bay Water Trail was completed last week. The pavilion in the campground by the fishing hole and Pier One Theatre replaces a picnic shelter torn down several years ago that had been by the Homer Spit Road. Last week, volunteer builders finished attaching the green-metal roof to the timber-frame structure.  

The joint city-nonprofit project cost about $35,000 to build, said Robert Archibald, one of the project organizers. Russ Walker of Alaska Timberframe built the framework, made of Douglas fir. The frame is mounted on Techno Posts and the roof is be tongue-and-groove with green metal roofing. The Kachemak Bay Rotary Club donated $17,000 for the project, the Rasmuson Foundation donated $15,000 and the city appropriated $5,000. The Kachemak Bay Wooden Boat Society also donated $500. Many contractors and building supply companies provided discounts on materials and labors, Archibald said. Volunteers helped build the frame.  

“Everybody knows it’s a volunteer effort. Everyone we’ve talked to has been really nice in giving us a break on this thing,” Archibald said.  

Compacted gravel will be laid down to make the shelter accessible to people with limited mobility. The Chapman School wood shop class also will build a handicap accessible picnic table, too. The fishing hole pavilion is a separate project from the Boat House, a pavilion to go up at the site of the old harbormaster’s office.