The Avila Pier closed in 2015 due to its age and damage from various storms; however, two-thirds of it is set to open.
While funding issues slowed repairs, visitors have been able to walk about halfway down the pier since spring.
Kurtis Bolton visited the pier on Labor Day weekend.
“There's hundreds of people, hundreds, if not thousands of people that walk up and down this every day, and they get stopped at a gate because it's not finished,” Bolton said.
Soon, your walk along the pier will expand even more, from the 50th support to the 70th.
The lengthening is thanks to a boost in funding from the organization Friends of Avila Pier — a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing the iconic part of Avila Beach.
The non-profit’s secretary, Ron Pigeon, says opening the pier piece by piece has its benefits.
“It's actually helped our fundraising,” Pigeon said. “People have gotten out here and they can see the plaques that we have along the pier.”
Donors who give $1,000 or more to the project are honored through plaques along the pier. Pigeon said the organization is seeing its biggest summer in donations since 2019, raising more $40,000 since Memorial Day.
Many people are looking forward to the pier's full reopening.
“It's just nice to have a fully renovated pier so that everybody can enjoy it from everywhere,” Bolton said. “You know, we drove up from Santa Maria to come out here this morning to just hang out.”
Pigeon said there is no set date for when people will be able to walk to the end of the pier, but its resilience speaks for itself.
“This is a landmark that's been here for over 100 years and has been kind of torn down a few times by storms, but it's been rebuilt every time,” Pigeon said.
Pigeon said since 2019, the organization has been able to raise $600,000 of its $1 million goal. If you would like to donate, you can visit its website.
