Boaters and kayakers who have been locked out of Shell Bottom Park since January will get their launch back when the ramp reopens Sept. 4.

Clear Lake Shores will hold a ribbon-cutting at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, at the Shell Bottom Park Boat Ramp on East Shore Drive, marking the end of a reconstruction project that closed the city's primary public boat launch for more than eight months.

What's new

The rebuild replaced nearly everything at the site. According to the city's pre-construction notice, the project scope included removing the old pier and pilings, installing new pilings, constructing two new piers, building a new boat ramp, and pouring a stabilized concrete parking lot with new lighting. Workers installed a cofferdam and pumped out the ramp area before demolition began.

The ramp officially closed Jan. 16, 2026, after the city asked boat and personal watercraft owners using the facility for winter storage to remove their vessels. A groundbreaking ceremony was held Dec. 1, 2025.

Longer than planned

The original construction timeline projected an April 2026 completion. The Sept. 4 ribbon-cutting puts the finish roughly five months past that target. No explanation for the delay has been made public.

A key waterfront access point

Shell Bottom Park sits on Clear Creek about five minutes from Kemah and serves as Clear Lake Shores' main public launch for powerboats and paddlers. The sheltered water is considered beginner-friendly for kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders, according to The Paddling Hub, a paddling directory.

The city's Parks and Recreation page references a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Boat Access Grant document from 2021 in connection with the improvements, though the grant amount has not been disclosed.

The city invited residents and visitors to attend the Sept. 4 ceremony.

If you go

What: Ribbon-cutting for the renovated Shell Bottom Park Boat Ramp When: 9:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4 Where: Shell Bottom Park, East Shore Drive, Clear Lake Shores Contact: Clear Lake Shores City Hall, 281-334-2799