OAK ISLAND — The Oak Island Pier has been closed to the public due to damage caused by Hurricane Matthew in October, the Wilmington Star News reported.
Movement and swaying on the pier led to the structure’s closure on Friday after it was declared “unsafe for human occupancy” by the town’s Development Services department.
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Mayor Cin Brochure said in a letter Monday that the town will rebuild the pier to match its current size of 27 feet tall and 850 feet long. The rebuilding is anticipated to be completed by the spring of 2018.
Brochure said that once the insurer, Lloyd’s of London, decides how much it is liable for, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can decide how much to contribute for reconstruction.
Brochure said she does not have an estimate on the costs to rebuild the pier, but that she hopes taxpayers will not have to pick up the tab.
The pier’s restaurant and store are unaffected by the closure. The town said an announcement that filing for rebuilding permits for thas already begun.
According to the Star News, the pier was closed for about two weeks after Hurricane Matthew. It’s had a rough history. The pier was closed after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, and was also rebuilt after damage in 1972 and 1992.
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