In a bold move by Angelina County Lake Sam Rayburn is about to enjoy a new lake facility that is expected to increase tourism by a wide margin. Located west of the Hwy-147 bridge, near Zavala and centered within Cassels Boykin County Park, the 200 acre events facility is expected to draw major attention from corporate, local, regional, and national interests alike, which includes major fishing tournament organizations.
Rumored about for years, but rumors no longer, the new facility, named after DR. Bill Shelton, who passed away in 2006, is now under construction.
“At present, stated James Slack, park planner and friend of DR. Bill Shelton, construction is under way for 5 new boat ramps with an adjacent parking lot that will have 100 spaces for vehicles and boat trailers. A courtesy pier is also scheduled for completion by mid March. We hope to have the Dr. Bill and Emily Shelton Pavilion and restrooms built before summer, although plans are under revision. Understandably, fund raising has become very difficult in this environment, and any contributions would be greatly appreciated. Tax deductible checks can be made to the Angelina Chamber of Commerce Foundation. We also are looking for a corporate sponsor to fund the construction of a children’s and handicapped fishing pier.”
“There will be a charge for launching and a fee to rent the pavilion, stated Mr. Slack, further informing that a position will be created under the County Commissioner’s Court for a Parks Manager, but until that happens (hopefully by January), persons interested in booking Cassels-Boykin facilities can call Jerry Huffman at our Chamber of Commerce at 936-634-6644 or the County Judge Wes Suiter’s office at 936-634-5413. Fees have not yet been set, but all revenues will be used to maintain this park, and hopefully some of the other Angelina County parks on Rayburn. Everything generated by Cassels-Boykin County Park will be spent back on Rayburn.
“Other plans that might be of interest: since the pavilion will be built at the base of a ridge, an amphitheater will be developed around the uphill side of it. Also, the large restroom/concession building planned adjacent to it will be acclimatized and will have a dressing area making it suitable for concerts, weddings, and other special events.
“Angelina County leased over 200 acres from the Corps of Engineers for this park and future plans call for the development of campsites from the existing park facilities clear over to the 147 bridge on the north shoreline, as well as hiking/biking trails and remote camping along the south shoreline of the Park.”
Cassels-Boykin County Park is located on the mid-lake of the 142,700-acre Sam Rayburn Reservoir, and provides year-round access to the northern part of Lake Sam Rayburn, which is noted for its excellent fishing, boating, duck hunting, water skiing and other popular water related activities. The new facility is also but a short boat run to some of Rayburn’s hottest bass fishing areas such as “the Canyons, Monterrey Bay, the Angelina and Attoyac river systems, Harvey Creek, the Black Forest, and Veach Basin, which produced a 16 lb- 8 oz lake record black bass.
Currently:
There are 27 campsites.
Ten (10) are multi-use sites which are paved and 17 are tent or picnic sites.
Seventeen (17) sites have water and electricity hookups.
There are two restrooms in the park. No showers are presently available.
A trailer/RV dump station is available.
A boat ramp is available.
Dr. Bill Shelton shared a life of passion for his patients’ but also for the outdoors. Fishing Lake Sam Rayburn for nearly 40 years, he spearheaded a group who saw the potential for Cassels-Boykin Park that would serve the needs of our children, the physically challenged, and all of East Texas to a much greater extent. He worked tirelessly to ensure access for these individuals and to give all citizens an opportunity to enjoy this beautiful resource by creating facilities for fishing, as well as family gatherings, weddings, reunions, and fishing tournaments. His enthusiasm for seeing this project reach its fruition remained until his death in October 2006. Today, his dream of enriching our lake community through the Cassels-Boykin Park is quickly becoming a reality.
The Lake Enhancement Task Force of the Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce has formulated a strategy to improve the facilities at Cassels-Boykin Park to increase tourism and stimulate the economy on northern Sam Rayburn Reservoir and in Angelina County.Cassels-Boykin Park, located near Zavalla, is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers, but is on long-term lease to Angelina County. Income generated from boat launch, camping, and other fees at this 110-acre location currently totals $20,000 – $30,000 per year, which is used to maintain the facility. The proposed improvements of the park include a handicap-accessible fishing pier, swimming area, improved restroom facilities, five-lane boat ramp, 100 car-trailer space parking lot, caretaker residence, landscaping, signage, and an access road. The project will also include a large pavilion, named in honor of Dr. Bill Shelton, one of the pioneers of this endeavor, an outdoor enthusiast and a true hero to all those whose lives he touched. The total estimated cost of the project is $5,000,000.Funding has already been received from a private foundation for preliminary planning and engineering of this project. A $500,000 Boating Access Grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife has also been awarded to Angelina County. The potential economic impact of the Cassels-Boykin Park Project is immense, according to studies conducted by Texas A&M University for Texas Parks & Wildlife on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in 2002. The study concluded that the total annual economic value of recreational fishing at Sam Rayburn Reservoir was $15,100,401 in 2001.
The 16th Annual DR. Bill Shelton Totally Awesome Fishing Adventure, A benefit bass tournament event to help raise funds for cancer research, is tentatively scheduled for May-9-2009 to be held at the new Cassels-Boykin Park facility. Those who are interested can call 936-639-7613 for more information.By: Ed Snyder / Ed Snyder Outdoors
