Fishers on the Robert S. Keaton Memorial Dock at Hill Park seen by the Tribune on Wednesday, Aug. 20. The photo is to show the whole length of the dock.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
SNOHOMISH — The City Council last week hired a company to repair the closed fishing dock at Hill Park.
The work is expected to be completed this year and will cost just shy of $135,000. There is money dedicated in the city budget for it.
The work will replace 27 wood joists with all-new ones, repair deteriorated piles and fix the decking of the Robert S. Keaton Memorial fishing dock, one of two docks at Blackman Lake.
The company hired is Aqua Dive Services, of Seattle. Aqua Dive specializes in underwater maintenance and construction.
The underside of the more than 40-year-old wood dock raised concerns in a 2023 city facilities report. In January 2024, the city closed it out of an abundance of caution.
In July 2024, the company did a visual inspection report underwater that at the time showed 21 of the dock’s 51 wooden piles have some deterioration. They also found deteriorated joists as well; joists structurally hold up the dock atop the piling.
The other, south dock at Hill Park is a metal dock. The Snohomish Sportsman’s Club and the Snohomish Tillicum Kiwanis Club fundraised and helped install both docks at Hill Park.
The closed dock’s namesake, Robert S. Keaton, Sr., died in 1980 at age 77.
