Gulf State Park officials released a statement regarding the status of repairs to the Gulf State Park Pier Dec. 28. The pier was nearing the end of a $2.4 million renovation when Hurricane Sally hit the area in September 2020 and caused severe damage to the pier. A 200-foot section near the new octagon at the end collapsed. A portion of the pier reopened to guests and anglers in April 2021.

The statement from park officials reads:

“Gulf State Park Pier repair is currently in the permitting phase with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACOE) and we are unsure of when the permit will be competed and issued.

“However, if all goes well, we hope to receive the permit early in 2022. We expect to be able to put this project out for bid by late February 2022. After a final review of the permit special award conditions, plan specifications, bids, contracting and other process requirements, our expectation is to begin construction in April 2022.

“The coordination between the federal agencies and permitting takes time and is a tedious process. If the permitting and bid process goes as planned, we are looking forward to re-opening the pier near the end of summer 2022.

“We recognize the importance of the pier to our community and guests. We are working diligently with all the parties involved to expedite the opening as soon as possible.”