Fencing installed at Meyers Pier

The following statement has been released by the City of Belleville today

 

Residents may notice that new fencing has been installed at Meyers Pier.

The end of the Pier has been temporarily blocked as a safety measure for those watching the solar eclipse. That fencing will be removed this Monday. The fencing on both sides of the accessway will remain in place indefinitely as an ongoing safety measure to continue to protect our clients and members of the public. Harbour operations and the Pier Patio Bar and Grill will continue to operate this season.

The pier has continued to withstand powerful winds and waves for more than a century which has taken a toll on the structure, resulting in very slow but continuous deterioration. As a proactive safety measure, the City has conducted regular engineering condition assessments (both above and below the water line) in recent years to identify and mitigate potential risks. These assessments have led to previous fence installations and the partial closure of the turning circle. The installation of the new fencing is another precautionary step to ensure pedestrians and weight loads remain away from the edges of the accessway and in the centre portion of the pier, similar to what was done previously with the fencing on the south edge of the main pier. 

Throughout the spring and summer, the City will be continue to investigate potential additional improvements to the pier that would maintain its current functionality and protect users for the foreseeable future while longer term and more permanent options can be explored. As part of these next steps, the City has budgeted funds to develop a long-term functional plan and Environmental Assessment that will help to determine whether Meyers Pier should undergo a major rehabilitation or be replaced with something else.

More information on the project will be provided as it becomes available. In the meantime, we appreciate residents’ cooperation adhering to these new measures.