- April 16, 2024
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Ormond Beach residents and visitors will soon be able to enjoy the full amenities of Fortunato Park this summer, as repairs to the fishing pier are anticipated to begin at the end of July or early August.
The pier was damaged during Hurricane Irma last September and has been closed since then. The hurricane uprooted the last 65 feet of the deck from the pilings, and repairs will cost the city $24,900. City Construction Engineer Alex Schumann said the city received a proposal at the end of May for the pier repairs, which will be completed by Ormond Beach-based company Custom Built Docks Inc.
“Most of the docks up and down the river got damaged, so [Custom Built Docks] is working his way back down the river — squeezing us in," Schumann said.
Since the Fortunato Park fishing pier is one of the city's FEMA reimbursement projects, the repair process has been long, said City Manager Joyce Shanahan.
“Clearly, we’re a beach and water community, and that’s very important to us," Shanahan said. "The Fortunato Park and the Cassen Park fishing pier are essential for our community, and we’re working as hard as we can to get those back up and running as quickly as possible.”
Schumann said reopening the pier will help people regain full enjoyment of the Halifax River and improve the quality of life in the city.
“Every time we’re out there to inspect the pier and the boat ramp adjacent to it, we hear from residents who like walking it that they’re anxious for us to open it back so they can enjoy the river," Schumann said.
The pier at Bailey's Riverbridge Gardens was repaired earlier this year. The boat ramps and adjacent docks at Cassen Park were operational by February.
