SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — A staple of the Safety Harbor community is back after being closed for nearly two years.
The Safety Harbor Pier is open after it was swept away during the 2024 hurricane season.
It was damaged during Hurricane Debby before Hurricane Helene destroyed it.
City officials said the new pier came in under budget with a price tag of under $1.26 million.
Residents said they are excited to have the amenity back in their community.
“It’s the greatest feeling,” said resident Joshua Paul Hooks. “It took forever. You know, two years goes by, but it felt like forever, and I think it felt so long because this is a nightly ritual for the family, right? We all come down and the kids play in the park over here, and you come out, you fish. You take a walk. You enjoy the breeze.”
The new pier is the same as the old one, just with newer Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations.
Earlier this year, local business owners said the reopening could be a major boost for tourism — and for the small businesses that give the waterfront town its charm.
Tom Bassano, who owns Bassano Cheesecake Cafe, said the loss of the pier slowed business significantly.
The city will host a grand reopening of the pier on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 10 a.m.