City Wins $250,000 to Help Rebuild Pier

A state board has awarded $250,000 to help rebuild Ventura’s storm-battered pier, state Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-Santa Barbara) announced Thursday.

“This is a very important step in our reconstruction efforts,” O’Connell said. “I’m very glad the [Wildlife Conservation] board has again agreed to invest in preserving and enhancing the historic Ventura Pier.”

The grant will supplement a $2-million insurance payment to rebuild 425 feet lopped off the end of the 1,958-foot pier by a powerful 1995 winter storm.

Restoring the pier to its original length will cost an estimated $3.3 million, so the city will have to cover a $1.3-million shortfall. The new state grant will cover about one-sixth of that.

Ultimately the city will use the money to pay for a new pier design that can withstand the thrashing of winter storms. Work will include cross-bracing the existing pier, rebuilding the missing sections with stronger steel piles and raising the end section so it will be above the highest breakers.

John Schmidt, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Board, had encouraged Ventura to apply for the grant earlier this year after taking a stroll on the pier. He noted that many people fish from the pier--one criterion for the funding.

Mayor Jack Tingstrom flew to Sacramento Wednesday to attend the wildlife board meeting.

“It was a very successful trip,” Tingstrom said. “This was one of the three steps we said we were going to do. This is the first of a couple of grants we applied for. As each grant comes, it means we can build out a little bit farther.”

City engineers have said they hope to begin reconstruction in July and complete the project before the big western swells come rolling in next winter.