West Villages Improvement District: Venice Fishing Municpal Fishing Pier is Getting a Facelift

venicemagazineonline.com

THE VENICE MUNICIPAL FISHING Pier is getting a facelift. A favorite spot of residents and visitors alike, the pier has been in need of rehabilitation for several years, even before Hurricane Irma took its toll, according to city engineer Kathleen Weeden. “When the (deck) materials began to fail we tried to contact the manufacturer to put in a claim,” Ms. Weeden said. Although the decking was still under warranty, the manufacturer was out of business.

Renovation will include removal and replacement of all the deck and railing material with longer-lasting ipe wood, replacement of the lighting and other related improvements. Ipe (pronounced ee-pay) is a dense hardwood from Brazil, often called Brazilian walnut. It is easy to maintain, has a long life, is considered to be as strong as nails and is so dense it will not float.

Instead of the current pole lighting, new lighting, which will have a lesser impact on nesting turtles and shore birds, will be placed under the handrails. The fish cleaning stations will also be replaced with units that jet out over the gulf rather than onto the deck as they do now. Rod holders will be installed for those who fish there. The city will be doing a bit of recycling when it comes to the benches. The concrete and wood benches recently removed from downtown will take the place of the old wooden ones there now. The memorial and dedicated benches currently on the pier will be removed and replaced once the new decking is installed.

The project was put out to bid last summer and contracted in the fall. Infinite Construction from Fort Myers was awarded the bid. The pier is expected to cost about $700,000. It was budgeted in 2018 and rolled over into the city’s 2019 budget.

Work is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 13. During the first phase of construction, demolition will take place seaward from the bait shop. The public will have access to the southern half of the pier between the entrance and the bait shop. Once demolition is complete in the initial phase, the remainder of the pier will be closed completely until reconstruction is complete.

Ms. Weeden estimates the job to be completed in 90 to 120 days. Work will be conducted Monday through Saturday from approximately 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until the job is completed.

“It is important to maintain our infrastructure,” Ms. Weeden said. “The pier is an asset to our city as well as a tourist attraction. We plan to return it to its beautiful, safe condition. We appreciate the public’s patience while we complete the work.”

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate