Back in February, the state Department of Environmental Conservation began construction on new bathrooms on the western corner of the boat launch property on River Street. Due to safety concerns, the boat launch closed when the construction started. Canoes and kayaks could still be put in there, but not motorboats.

Then at the end of March, the DEC suspended construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the project was deemed nonessential. Work restarted in June.

The boat launch is now open. The bathroom, which is finally completed, is not — again, due to the pandemic.

On Friday, there will be an official reopening of the boat launch to kick off the holiday weekend. The same cannot be said of the bathrooms, which were expected to cost $450,000.

A new restroom building at the Lake Flower boat launch in Saranac Lake is completed, though still closed. (Enterprise photo — Amy Scattergood)

On Friday, the DEC announced in a statement that the boat launch will be open for the launching and retrieval of trailered boats.

“We’re looking at maybe doing a ribbon-cutting in the spring,” said DEC Region 5 spokesperson David Winchell.