JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The wait is finally over and the community can walk across the pier on Jacksonville Beach.
The pier is opened to pedestrians only, and it will be free. The city will gradually phase in the fisherman, and then they will be working on reopening the shop on the pier.
“I think it really adds a nice touch to the city. Jacksonville Beach needs a nice pier. They had a nice pier. The last pier they had got destroyed, and it only makes sense," said Cole Douglas, a Jacksonville Beach neighbor.
Mayor of Jacksonville Beach, Christine Hoffman, says this pier is an iconic part and symbol of the beach life in the community.
“People come from the Southeast to fish at Jacksonville Beach Pier because it’s the length and it's just a landmark. So we got a lot of people from out of town like the Carolinas and Georgia," said Marjorie Rodrigues, a Jacksonville Beach resident.
This pier was fully closed three years ago due to hurricane damage.
“We saw the pier when it was at its operational best and then parts of it disappeared with the first hurricane and then the rest of it went with the next one," said Greg Kearney, works nearby the pier.
But this new and improved pier is here to stay.
The renovations that were made gave the pier a larger and stronger piling with a slope of eight feet.
The construction was also slated to raise the deck to make it sturdier against extreme weather.
“It's wonderful. It's very sturdy. The pilings look much bigger. Of course, the height will protect the pier, so I think it's going to be here for a long time," said Rodrigues.