SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — Safety Harbor's Fire Marshal Dick Brock Memorial Pier has officially reopened, more than 2 years after three hurricanes destroyed it in 2024.
Crowds gathered Saturday morning to celebrate the reopening of the century-old landmark, which was wiped out when Hurricane Debby and two other storms tore through the region.
City Commissioner Andy Steingold described the scale of the destruction.
"Essentially the pier was decimated from all the wind and it was carried along the shoreline. There literally wasn't anything left of the pier. You could walk out here and the pier was gone," Steingold said.
For many residents, the loss was deeply personal. The pier has long been a defining symbol of Safety Harbor.
"If you look at any picture, if you look at any rendering, a drawing, there's always a pier on it," Steingold said.
Safety Harbor resident Darlene Frank said the destruction hit hard. She said the pier was one of the reasons she moved from Pennsylvania to Florida.
"It was absolutely devastating," Frank said.
Phillip Young, who grew up in Safety Harbor, said he felt the same way when he first saw the damage.
"When I saw the video on the news, I was devastated," Young said.
The pier had been a gathering place for wildlife watching, fishing and family memories for more than a century.
"The manatee are fascinating. They come here all year long," Frank said.
Palm Harbor resident Ryan Lewis said watching the rebuilding process from a distance was difficult.
"It was hard fishing over there and seeing like the process of them rebuilding and and not being able to come out here," Lewis said.
Young recalled childhood memories tied to the pier.
"We used to swim off here every day when we were kids. If we weren't in school, we were here," Young said.
After 2 years of work and more than $1 million in city, state and federal funding, the city rebuilt the pier nearly identical to its original design. Mayor Joe Ayoub said that decision was deliberate.
"Had we have redesigned it and changed it, we would have had to get additional permits and we'd still be waiting for the pier to be open," Ayoub said.
Ayoub reflected on the long road to this moment.
"It not only felt like a long time, it was a long time," Ayoub said.
Steingold echoed the community's relief and excitement.
"What an exciting moment. Everybody's so excited to have it back," Steingold said.
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