The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Melody Lane Fishing Pier will be held February 2, 2016, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at 220 Melody Lane, Fort Pierce.
Two grants awards from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) totaling $312,500 along with 1:1 matching funds from the City of Fort Pierce paved the way for this project, which has been in the works since 2011.
City officials estimate more than 9,000 people will enjoy the pier each year for fishing and as a viewing area for birds and wildlife that gather amongst the City’s recently-completed storm protection island system, 4th of July fireworks and annual boat parades.
“The Melody Lane Fishing Pier will be a place our citizens and guests can gather for a day of recreation, to sight see or to just sit back and relax,” explained Mayor Linda Hudson. We look forward to having generations of families enjoy the pier for many years to come.”
The ADA-accessible fishing pier is 10 feet wide, 215 feet long and includes a 26x16 foot landing. It has a musical theme and includes signage to commemorate the site’s history – the location of the broadcast tower used by radio station WIRA in the 1960s.
The musical theme carries over onto the pedestrian entrance archway and decorative benches, designed by local artists Anita Prentice and Pat Cochran. The pier also includes bicycle racks, lighting, tackle disposal units and environmentally-friendly Thru-Flo interlocking deck-covering panels to encourage sea grass growth. A new fish cleaning table is located adjacent to the pier.
Tetra Tech, EC., Inc., Brothers Construction, Inc. and Ardaman and Associates, Inc. provided the permitting, design, construction and construction engineering inspection services for the pier.
The Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will begin at 9:00am on Tuesday, February 2. Please call 772-467-3169 or email ewoodruff@city-ftpierce.com for more information.