OCEANSIDE, Calif. (KGTV) - ABC 10News examined the effects of the ongoing reconstruction of the Oceanside Pier on Monday, which was significantly damaged by a fire in 2024.
The demolition and debris removal at the pier's end was completed in February, and the city is now awaiting permit approvals to commence rebuilding. The target is to have the pier fully operational by 2027.
Despite the reconstruction challenges, local businesses have been resilient.
“We're seeing a lot of traffic, um, there's a lot of crowds and guests coming out, um, people from all over the country, all over the world, um, and it picks up pretty fast. Like we pretty much rent out everything at one point, so it's good, it's good," said Arif Stovall from Wheel Fun Rentals.
However, Stovall also pointed out the weather's significant impact on business operations, especially during heavy rain.
"It is a major point of impact for some smaller business on the pier, but as far as I've seen, there's not been a lot of, you know, any changes really it's mostly just the weather and any events that go on around here when it's raining," said Stovall. "We close, so we really can't really get much done. It's also a safety hazard, so we try not to put anyone in danger. And then, of course, everyone else that is indoors or anything like that, they slow down a lot because there's no one really out here to do anything, so it's a major impact for sure.”
