Jacksonville — By Lucia Viti and Riley Hagy
The Jacksonville Beach Pier officially re-opened on Wednesday, July 6, after three years of being closed to repair damages from Hurricanes Irma and Matthew. The new structure now angles up eight feet higher to protect it from the damage of future storms.
Local government officials and residents celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony that included Mayors Lenny Curry and Christine Hoffman.
Margaret McKinny was among the many locals residents present. McKinney welcomed the pier with a pubic blessing.
“This is a great day for our community,” she said. “The community comes together, fishermen come out to fish, and families bring their children. It’s just wonderful that the pier is open again.”
Curt, a local beachgoer, described the opening as a great day for Jacksonville because the “pier serves as community staple that allows people to gather and enjoy Jax Beach.”
“I met a monk on this pier 10 years ago who was a patient at the Mayo Clinic who said that the ocean was one of the reasons why he felt he was being healed,” he said.” People coming to our city and enjoying the beach life is magical.”
Gerry Jackson, a local fisherman, said the community will be greatly impacted from the pier’s reopening.
“This pier was here before all of us,” he said. “And now it’s back, it’s bigger than ever and all of the shops up and down the street are just going to thrive.”
In addition to Mayors Curry and Hoffman, Council President Terrance Freeman, At-Large Group 1; Council Vice President Ron Salem, At-Large Group 2; Council Member Rory Diamond, District 13; John Pappas, Director of Public Works; Daryl Joseph, Director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services; and Tom Goldsbury, Project Manager, Building Inspection Division, were also in attendance.
“This is a beautiful pier and a great day for Jacksonville,” said council member Rory Diamond.
The phased, two-week re-opening allows pedestrians to stroll on the pier from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day. City officials, along with the Jax Beach Police Department, will continue to monitor the pier to garner community input prior until it completely reopens. At that point, a three-rod fishing limit will be allowed with a three-rod limit and will remain in compliance with Florida Fish and Wildlife rules. A set of detailed parameters will soon be released.
The bathrooms and the bait shop are not yet open. The city will publish a comprehensive Request for Proposals which will finalize the pier’s rules and parameters for pedestrians and fishermen.
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