NBC 7’s Jackie Crea spoke with residents and businesses to see how they’ve been impacted by the closure.
The deteriorating Ocean Beach pier has been closed since January when high surf and storms caused new damage. Now, the city is moving forward with a replacement project.
Exactly how that will play out, is unclear. But what is clear: the closure and the weather are affecting area businesses.
NBC 7 spoke to disappointed tourists and the OB MainStreet Association.
From the sidewalk or the beach, it’s fairly easy to spot the signs of aging and damage on the pier. The City of San Diego said the only confirmed damage as of now, is on the surface of the pier. Rust climbs up most of the pier’s pilings, after so many years splashed by the saltwater.
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On Wednesday, the City of San Diego’s hired consultant firm Moffatt & Nichol was walking and inspecting the pier as part of the Ocean Beach Pier Replacement Project’s long-term needs for repair. San Diego lifeguards were on site to escort them, according to a city senior public information officer, Tyler Becker. He clarified that this inspection is separate from the one needed to assess the recent storm damage, pending the end of the storm season.
Looking on to the locked gates to the pier, tourists like the Hare family from Las Vegas were disappointed their three-day trip didn’t entail much sunshine. Their relatives from Iowa also joined them.
“It’s cold and we came here for really warm weather,” said 7-year-old Amelia Hare.
Her father Jeremy Hare told NBC 7 they made the best of the weather.
“We were hoping to have some beach days, some sun. Coming from Iowa,” said Hare.
Denny Knox, the executive director for the OB Main Street Association, said the storms alone aren’t a huge tourist deterrent, but when combined with the pier's constant closures, it has slowed business.
“We’re gonna take a hit for it. But then again it’s also very exciting to want to be part of something new happening and we are just gonna have to figure out what that is,” referring to the pier replacement project.
Knox is part of a task force comprised of community members and city leaders that support the project and help share information.
“It’s that balancing game. That economic driver for the community and actually the region. Is it worth it to put X amount of dollars into repairing the pier for a year or two, depending on how long it lasts?” said Knox.
The pier replacement project’s next steps include community input during workshops and meetings that begin in April.
