'This Is Special': Construction Underway To Rebuild Marina On Fort Gibson Lake

Summer activities on the lake are in full swing, but for one spot on Fort Gibson Lake, it's a summer of construction.

The Giggle Fish grill at Cypress Cove Marina was destroyed by a fire last July.

It's been nearly a year since the marina and restaurant was destroyed by a fire, but crews are busy this summer working to rebuild the popular spot on Fort Gibson Lake.

This Marina isn't just a place to store a boat or get fuel, it's a place to gather.

"This is where we come, this is where we have fun, this where we eat, this is where we enjoy Fort Gibson Lake," said Greg Johnson with Doc's Mobile Welding.

Johnson has been coming here since he was a teenager. He loves sitting on his boat and watching a live band on Friday nights.

"The music, I love music, I love music a lot," he said.

He even celebrated his daughter's birthday here. But that all stopped last summer when a fire left the building in ruins.

"It was pretty saddening, I've been coming here a long time," he said.

On Friday, new sheet metal went up as part of an effort to bring the marina back to its former self. And the man hired for the job is someone who is eager to see things return to normal.

"It's not just a job for me, at all, this is special," Johnson said.

Johnson and his crew are working in the summer heat to build a new structure here, and to make sure the dock can withstand 240,000 pounds.

All this equipment will be gone by the end of the night, not because the job is done, but to make way for live music that still happens here every weekend, giving people a little taste of things to come.

"I think it will be a great day," Johnson said.

The owner of the marina told News On 6 that they don't have a fixed date yet for the grand reopening, but they're excited to have people back out here to enjoy the restaurant, the marina, and the lake.