Rotarian Richard Birney shared information with our club regarding the Sanibel Pier Project, a public/private partnership between the City of Sanibel, Community Foundation of the Islands and the Citizen Committee.
The Sanibel Pier is a part of the Island’s history, proudly serving our residents and tourists alike. Before Hurricane Ian, in historical and not so historical photographs, the pier was a gathering point for parents and grandparents teaching children how to fish, for walkers, bikers, birders and tourists to photograph and learn about our waters. The pier was wheelchair accessible, the only easy access to fishing for individuals with limited mobility.
Since Hurricane Ian, it has been an eyesore in the midst of our most visited tourist area and can be seen from the entryway to Sanibel, the Causeway. The destroyed pier creates negative tourist perceptions of the Island’s recovery since Ian, not to mention the tragic loss of pier services for residents and visitors, revenue loss to our small bait and tackle businesses and secondary revenue impacts on other island services, like parking, restaurants and lodging.
The plan is to get fishermen back on the pier as soon as possible, return the structure to long-term strength, improve the resilience of the pier structure, and most importantly, to do this as a partnership to avoid further delays until the City of Sanibel can work this “non-critical entertainment” infrastructure into their budget. Together, with hardwork and dedication, the partnership between the City of Sanibel, Community Foundation of the Islands and the Citizen Committee will rebuild this important legacy of Sanibel’s history.
