RACINE — After nearly 10 years in the making and two years of construction, officials with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Division of Wildlife are planning a dedication ceremony for the new Racine Boat Ramp at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 21 at the ramp along Ohio 124.

The ramp has been open for business since December though officials waited until spring, and better weather, for an official dedication.

Gus Smithhisler of ODNR said the project and its cost has not been finalized yet with some finish work still waiting on completion from the contractor though major construction is over. The last cost estimate ODNR gave on the project was $2 milllion-plus.

The dedication ceremony is open to the public and Smithhisler said scheduled to attend is the Director of ODNR Sean Logan, Ohio Division of Wildlife Chief Engineer Dave Mohr and possibly Ohio Division of Wildlife Chief Dave Graham. The guest list of other local or state officials and itinerary was still being completed and will be announced later by The Daily Sentinel.

The new ramp is open 24-hours a day, seven days a week though there are gates in place to close the ramp during high water emergencies.

High water plagued the construction of the ramp which was supposed to be completed last May though that date was pushed to last November with the ramp finally officially opening in December. From November 2007 until May 2008, work was stalled due to continually high water along the Ohio River.

The facility has a four lane ramp into the river, including handicap accessible ramps, 73 car and trailer parking spaces and 14 automobile spaces including handicapped spaces.