\u201cThe Ocean Beach Pier is a local treasure as well as a national and international treasure that is visited by over half a million people a year,\u201d said District 2 Councilmember Jennifer Campbell. She added, \u201cIt\u2019s important that you make your voices heard and share your visions for the future of the pier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUltimately, no one conceives of a world where there isn\u2019t an OB Pier,\u201d noted Gloria. \u201cWe want to make sure that what we construct or repair with the OB Pier is something that people will love for another 60-plus years. I hope that we can bring people from around the City to work together on a shared solution that is implementable as soon as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n The mayor expressed hope that the City and the public can reach a consensus on a new pier design \u201cthat accomplishes X, Y, and Z. This is where we want to start the conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n The City anticipates a lengthy public engagement process because of OB Pier\u2019s iconic status. \u201cIt\u2019s an important part of our Southern California lifestyle,\u201d said Gloria adding, \u201cBottom line, we\u2019re hoping to start the process for getting consensus so that we can go to federal and state funders and other folks to get the actual money necessary to execute the project.\u201d<\/p>\n Gloria pointed out that repairs necessary to keep the OB Pier operational have become habitual in recent years following winter storms necessitating \u201cshutting the pier, for weeks or months at a time, to provide hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.\u201d He added, \u201cThat kind of budgeting approach is not sustainable and a wise use of taxpayer dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked to estimate how long, and what the cost might be, in replacing OB Pier, Gloria responded: \u201cUnclear. We are sincere in asking for the public\u2019s input on what they want to see for OB Pier. This is a multi-year process: It\u2019s not going to be tomorrow. I think the goal ought to be that a future generation of San Diegans looks back and thanks us for the work that we did here today.\u201d<\/p>\n OCEAN BEACH PIER<\/p>\n Opened in 1966, Ocean Beach Pier debuted as a sport fishing pier with no fee for accessing it and no fishing licenses required. During its first 25 years, the pier received normal ongoing maintenance required by exposure to the harsh marine environment of wind, waves, and salt. In 1991, the pier underwent major structural rehabilitation.<\/p>\n Since the early 2000s, exposure to large waves and ongoing degradation has required structural pier repairs with increasing frequency. The pier is currently closed to the public after being damaged by storms and high surf in January, which has happened several times. The City will assess the full extent of the damage, once the storm season has passed, then decide the potential for repairing and reopening the pier.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn.sdnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/20230404160117\/1a-20230401_122241_edited-300x225.jpg\")