Many California Piers Closed for Repairs Because of Storms
After several serious storms across the West Coast, at least 10 public piers have collapsed due to extreme conditions of rain and massive waves so far this year.
One example of this is the status of Ocean Beach pier located in downtown San Diego. Known for being the longest concrete pier in California, the Ocean Beach pier has been changed from needing repairs to a full remodel, putting it out of commission for an undetermined amount of time. According to city officials, the 58-year-old pier will, “sit closed off to the public permanently as city officials move forward with building its replacement.” This means that no one really knows how long it will take to deconstruct and rebuild the pier, in addition to the process to raise enough funds to complete the project.
Luckily, the most local pier to MBHS, the Cayucos Pier, will not need repairs after this year’s storms, thanks in part to the lack of rain that the Central Coast has experienced. However, some of the most loved and known piers have sustained destruction so intense that it will be years before the piers will be in use again. One of these is the Wharf, a well-known pier in Santa Cruz, which is adjacent to the constantly busy boardwalk, full of games, rides, and restaurants. According to Parks and Recreation Director Tony Elliot, “What I’ll say first is that the end of the Wharf does not pose any additional risks to the rest of the Wharf, but there’s some questions as to what we do with it,” (East Bay Times). Many may wonder what the actual cause of the destruction was, and although some believe it was just the result of extreme surf in December, others think that the quality of construction on the pier caused it to need such severe repairs. Unfortunately, there were several other effects of the destruction, including three city workers being thrown into the ocean, forcing local lifeguards to swim out in order to save the workers.
Although 10 piers may not seem like a lot in comparison to the number in California, to many people these piers have been a huge part of their childhood and home town, and to see them damaged or destroyed in just a few months was devastating. Hopefully the upcoming construction of the piers will promote more sustainable materials and manufacturing for the future of California beaches, and give them a chance to survive for many more years to come.
Sources: Fox News, Associated Press, East Bay Times, San Luis Tribune, USA Today