Local lake goers express frustrations over business closures

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - With the start of Lake season there are lots of questions surrounding what’s happening with *this* building — and why it’s closed.

Some of our viewers have expressed frustration with the inconvenience of the Schoolhouse Slough store being closed.

”We need these things open,” Kent Cox, a frequent Lake Goer, said.

Now that the store is closed, people don’t have as quick of access to things they may need or want on the water, like snacks, or bait. They also don’t have access to what’s really important to boat owners, gas.

”They can’t get gas for their boat. They’ve got to unload their boat or haul gas. Hauling gas is dangerous for fires and ecologically, if they dump something,” Cox said.

”And then the gas can leaks and it’s in the back of the pickup,” Douglas Hilliary added, also a faithful lake goer. “Then they’re trying to pour fuel out of a can into the Sea-Doos, something’s gonna happen.”

With the closure of the Schoolhouse Slough store and another store known as Robinson’s landing, lake attendees are having to head over to Bubba’s, which is causing traffic issues.

Highway 58 is a two-lane road, and Bubba’s is a small convenience store and you push all these people trying to get gas out of there,” Hilliary said.

Some 7News viewers have said they’ve tried leasing the property from The City of Lawton, but have been denied.

”It could be profitable, every businessman knows it could,” Cox added. “I think that there are plenty of businessmen who can take these over and run them profitably for themselves and the city.”

Though many people have expressed frustrations with the city, Hilliary only wants to see some type of plan that will improve the lake as a whole.

”Just a good comprehensive plan of how we’re going to handle it. The restrooms, the marina, the amount of boats that are coming in,” he said. ”Like I said we’re not gonna make the lake any bigger, so we’re gonna have to use that number and then scale back to what’s desirable for the lake.”

7News reached out to city officials for more information concerning what will happen next, but was told no information will be available until City Council makes a decision.

Copyright 2023 KSWO. All rights reserved.