Gulf Shores Pier expected to open in May
March 23, 2009

If you're ready for redfish or hankering to hang some tackle just for the halibut, the wait is almost over. Officials have announced that they expect the Gulf State Park Pier to be ready in May, just in time for summer visitors.

The pier's completion has been a long time coming, but that somehow seems suitable because the pier is long -- at 1,512 feet, it will be the longest in the Gulf of Mexico. It will be 20 feet wide and 20 feet high and will be outfitted for the comforts of outdoorsmen of all ages and ability levels.

The new pier is at 20800 E. Beach Blvd. in Gulf Shores. When it is completed, it will have two restroom facilities, a tackle shop and a concession stand with dining facilities inside and out. The entire structure is American with Disabilities Act-compliant, and it features special railings designed so anglers in wheelchairs can pull up and have a place to set their tackleboxes, bait and other items at lap-level or higher rather than having to reach down to the ground.

A 65-foot octagon over the coast's second sand bar will offer prime fishing for cobia, king mackerel and tarpon, information from the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau states. Artificial reefs will be added to bring in more fish and will be accessible by boat. Some plans call for the remnants of the old pier to be used in creating the artificial reefs, but permitting issues have yet to be decided.

Built in 1968, the original pier was a fixture of the Alabama Gulf Coast until it became a casualty of Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Local and state officials took the opportunity provided by Ivan to overhaul a significant portion of Gulf State Park, updating and modernizing where possible, tearing down and rebuilding elsewhere.

When officials realized a facelift to the aging pier would be as expensive as a new pier, they opted for a modern replacement. State-of-the-art engineering has enabled designers to create a structure expected to withstand a Category 3 hurricane. The design also is expected to dramatically reduce the time needed to made repairs after storm damage occurs because the damage should be mostly cosmetic and not structural.

Safety is important, but anglers and others who will be using the new pier want to be able to appreciate its amenities. These include its size, as it is several hundred feet longer than its predecessor and is more than twice as wide across the octagon. The additional length is especially important on days when the Gulf is rough, because anglers can cast into deeper, clearer water where fish still will be swimming -- and biting. Local fishermen expect the additional territory to yield excellent results for highly desirable species of fish. At least one local expert has said he expects the new pier's size alone to be responsible for double the number of good days of fishing. It also is higher above the water.

Picnic tables will be a welcome "site" for those who want to take advantage of the view and the warm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico, but the snack bar will have air-conditioned seating for those who come hungry, empty-handed and looking for a respite from the sun.

Alabama requires anglers to be licensed for fishing, and those licenses will be available at the pier alongside bait, tackle and other necessities.

Not everyone who uses the pier will be there for the fishing. Some will come to enjoy the sun or to watch for wildlife. Locals have reported seeing all types of marine life from the old pier, including whales and manatees.

State and local officials visited several popular piers in the region as plans for the new Gulf State Park Pier were crafted. Having new safety and comfort features plus the best options other locales have to offer makes Gulf State Park truly a "keeper."

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2009
 Later school start
  a boost to Alabama economy
 10 Great New Getaways
  in Alabama
 Helen Keller statute
 Golfing on the Gulf Coast
 Fall is perfect time for
  an Alabama adventure
 Beach reports strong
  July tourism numbers
 Lucy Buffett to emcee
  tourism awards banquet
 Gulf State Park announces
  Geocaching activities
 New Pier at
  Gulf State Park opens
 Grand opening
  and ribbon cutting of the new
  Gulf State Park Pier
 Lucy Buffett
  makes appearance
  on the “TODAY” show
 Gulf State Park pier
  opens July 23
 Accuweather.com predicts
  drop in Gulf hurricanes
  for 2009
 Alabama deep sea fishing
  has one of the 10 greatest
  fishing tournaments
 Gulfront condo reservations
 Alabama Gulf Coast trail
  named National Recreation
  Trail for 2009
 Lee Sentell interviewed on
  tourism growth in Alabama
 Tips for planning
  your next beach getaway
 Vacation rentals vs. hotels:
  Which choice provides
  the best vacation experience?
 Alabama beaches
  expecting strong summer
 Five things to do on vacation
  in Orange Beach, Alabama
 Alabama's new
  Gulf State Park Pier
 Governor Riley signs
  Gulf State Park Hotel Bill
 Gulf State Park Resort
  alive in the legislature
 Comparison in tourism growth
 Travel Insurance
  available for Swine Flu
 Travel Guard extends free
  assistance responding
  to Myrtle Beach fire
 Alabama Tourism
  up 3 percent in 2008
 LuLu’s recognized
  for Green Initiatives
 Price Guarantee available
 Grammy award Sugarland
  coming to Orange Beach, Al
 Orange Beach & Gulf Shores
  spring condo rentals
 Pleasure Island
  vacation rentals
 Blue Angels air shows
 A perfect paradise retreat
 Alabama Governor
  signs film bill
 Gulf Shores Pier
  expected to open in May
 Feds: Gulf Shores
  owes from Hurricane Ivan
 Miss Gulf Shores High School
 Spring Break condo rentals
  Orange Beach & Gulf Shores
 The Wall Street Journal:
  Touring the Civil Rights Trail
 Snowbird rentals
  beach front condos available

2008
 Healthy vacation recipes
 Alabama Gulf Coast vacations
 Autumn on the
  Alabama Gulf Coast
 National Shrimp Festival
 Hurricane Gustav update
 Hurricane Gustav
 Gulf Shores Condos
 Tourism carries its weight
 Find cheap airfares online
 Construction begins
  on Gulf State Park pier
 Publix Super Market
  coming to Orange Beach
 Things to look for in
  Orange Beach condo deals
 Pictures of Gulf Shores
 Gulf Shores
  computer repair
 Perdido Key
  attractions for everyone
 Perdido Key rentals
 Orange Beach hotels
 Romance in Orange Beach
 Gulf Shores condos
 Sandy Key Perdido:
  attractions off the sand
 I'm in the news
 Perdido Key
  for the whole family