Historic Ventura Pier reopens after repairs to winter storm damage

VENTURA, Calif. (KABC) -- A year and a half after suffering major damage in storms, the Ventura Pier is finally back open.

Cheers and clapping could be heard Saturday morning after a much-anticipated wait was finally over. The Ventura pier reopened after undergoing major repairs.

"This pier has been a fixture in this community for many years. I brought my children out here. I bring guests and visitors, and to see it reopening is certainly special for the community," said Ventura resident Darrin Carter.

The last time people were able to walk on the pier was January 2023. It was supposed to reopen in March but the date was set back because of more storm damage.

"We lost 400 feet in December of 1995, rebuilt the pier and so through the years we have to do maintenance and occasionally it sustains damage but thankfully we've got our 30-year nonprofit organization Pier Into the Future that helps raise money to preserve and maintain the pier as well as our city," said Ventura Deputy Public Works Director Mary Joyce Ivers.

$3.3 million was put in to restore the pier. The city said that a big portion of that cost will be reimbursed by FEMA and the state.

"This pier has been standing here for decades and we're grateful it's been able to sustain, but also we recognize that it needs some TLC, and Mother Nature be kind please," Deputy Mayor Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios said.

The pier extends more than 16,000 feet. The damage from storms included 37 missing or broken timber piles, 24 dislodged piles, and more than 100 damaged or missing braces.

Locals, fishermen and tourists were happy the pier reopened just in time during summer and the X games this weekend.

"Watching them do the construction this whole time and anticipating the opening it's been a long time coming for me because I like to fish I come out to the pier and fish and watch the surfers surf," said Roy Blanchard, a Ventura resident.