April Fools? Or The Sunken Ship of Fools.

[shinblind]

Well now this in interesting.

https://www.shorelinemedia.net/ludington_daily_news/walkway-sunken-...

I don't have the data or links in front of me but I did check what this rock wall cost to give me an understanding of what a fishing pier like this would cost at Copeyon,

Constructed about 10 years ago the pier was approved form the city council, It was 250 feet long and the cost was right around $125,000.  It was put in place to stop the annual dredging of the Loomis Street boat ramps.

The walk way on top was constructed a few years after the pier was in place, that cost was also about $125,000.

A straight walkway, not a fishing pier would extend about half way the length of the Yatch Club peninsula for perspective.  If constructed the same Tee configuration  as the old floating dock it would extend about 100 feet from shore.

The water there is uniformly shallow and uninteresting to fish.

The Loomis Street pier/walkway is mostly unfishable due to its design.

Adjusting for inflation the price to around $300,000.  Plus whatever the new regulations and requirements are to be met.

Maybe the city council would wish to consult with people who would  actually fish these structures and find out what is best, instead of arranging the deck chairs as they usually do.

[Willy]

I would imagine that the engineering for this breakwall was flawed or possibly the rock foundation was not suitable for placing a concrete pad on top. Either way it's going to cost the taxpayers more money. Now just imagine the damage that will occur from surf and ice at the proposed west end  project. Whatever will be installed to protect that area will have to be quite substantial. Just the maintenance alone will break the petty cash account.  Don't fool with mother nature.

[XLFD]

I've tried to justify the proposed fishing pier myself.  I know we have the old one wasting away out of the city limits on First Street with what was said to be about $15,000 of repairs needed to be made to it, seemed rather high.  Now we are looking at a concrete walkway effectively, twelve times that cost, I don't know whether anybody knows at this point other than a city official or two what its specs are.  With the City Marina switching out its old docks, one would think that maybe some of the best of those could be recycled, and cut the $15K price.

I'm no fishing expert, maybe we have some of those reading, but I would think the advantage of a wooden fishing pier over a concrete promenade is that it doesn't present a blockade for fish as they go about their movements.  If this is built in concrete and the fishing is poor off it, anglers will avoid it and we're out of a lot of money, whereas if a wooden pier is used, it can always find itself moved to a different place.  It's that one or two city officials who have probably never went fishing that decide these issues it seems.

[Willy]

You use thinking that does not exist at CIty Hall  X and that would be Common sense. I don't know a lot about fishing but I do know that fish like to hang around structures like elevated docks. Some of my best fishing experiences have been around dock areas and trees that have fallen into water especially the roots and branches. Aquaman should be the expert on this.

[AQUAMAN]

These politicians and city workers have no clue as to what type of fishing piers and docks are good to use. Yet, they come up with the wildest money wasting schemes to implement with high high costs in more grant monies. Willy's statements are true and factually work, thanks for your input sir.

[Freedom Seeker]

The biggest problem is that there is not enough opportunity for public comment. Soooo much going on in subcommittees which do not include the public. And s lot more could be done on the city website but it seems the only interest there is to advertise pub crawls and things that go on under Entertainment tents (don't call them beer tents anymore).