Kootenai County is receiving nearly $700,000 in state grants to renovate aging public infrastructure, the Parks and Waterways department revealed on Monday.

The Idaho Parks and Recreation Department is awarding Kootenai County Parks and Waterways a $331,179 waterways improvement fund grant to rebuild the Sunup Bay boat launch on the west shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene, said Parks and Waterways Director Nick Snyder.

"It's very necessary. The Sunup boat launch is the second busiest launch that we manage," said Snyder, who learned the good news on Monday. "It serves thousands of boaters every year."

Parks and Waterways also received a state Recreational Vehicle grant of $366,844 to renovate the public RV dump station on Dalton Avenue, where recreators can unload the holding tanks on their RVs, campers and vessels.

Both of the projects, scheduled to undergo construction this fall, have been needed for years, Snyder said.

The Sunup launch in Worley is more than 30 years old, Snyder said, and has never been renovated in that time.

"It's becoming less accessible as the old boat launch has broken apart," he said, noting that the launch is the only one on the west side of the lake accessible year-round. "When the water is low, vehicles have gotten stuck, or had to back their vehicles out into the lake farther than they normally would to get their vessel launched."

The renovations will include a new launch with a safe and stable platform during low water conditions, Snyder said. The county will also install steel pilings and new docks.

A new 50-foot pier and 30-foot gangway will also be added to make the launch more accessible to disabled users, he said.

Wayne Reichenberg, member of the Lake Coeur d'Alene Anglers Association, said he thinks the renovation is "a grand idea."

The launch is popular because of its mid-point position on the lake, the Coeur d'Alene fisherman said, allowing access to Windy and Rockford bays.

"There are quite a few of the anglers who use that boat ramp," Reichenberg said, adding that he launches from Sunup to fish for salmon and bass.

He said he would be delighted if the county addresses the launch's current handicap, that boats can't be launched during the wintertime.

"I won't even try when the water's down. It's just too shallow," Reichenberg said. "I only have an 18-foot boat, and I can't even get in."

The RV dump station is the only free, public facility of its kind in the immediate Coeur d'Alene area where folks can unload gray water and pump water, Snyder said.

It, too, has garnered complaints, he said, because of malfunctioning equipment like pumps and alarms.

"This renovation would replace that equipment with a gravity system that won't be as prone to failure," Snyder said, adding that construction might be moved up before the fall if the station can't hold up that long.

The county spends thousands every year keeping the station running, he added.

"This renovation will answer those problems moving forward," Snyder said. "This will be a cost savings to the citizens of the county for many years to come."

County Commissioner Dan Green said he is a proponent of covering the projects with grant dollars.

"I applaud Nick for being so professional in representing Kootenai County," Green said. "Whenever we can improve facilities without putting the burden on the local property taxpayer is appropriate."

Snyder attributed his department's grant success to presenting worthy projects within the funding limits.

He is anticipating another grant this year to improve parks and waterways equipment, he added.

"The grants mean that the recreational facilities that the public has come to count on will remain in good order, usable, safe, and that no general fund tax dollars will be used for those improvements," Snyder said.