Editor:
There were two good letters about the pier damage in last Friday’s Peace Arch News.
Certainly the destruction of part of the pier was from boats crashing through, but we need to look at how this was all caused. From my roof deck, I watched and photographed this all happen.
Sure, we had a freak storm, or maybe not-so-freak, given climate change.
Combined with a days-long wind event and very high tides, photos indicate that the breakwater was totally overwhelmed by waves and this was the cause of the mooring float breaking loose and then the boats coming off the float and drifting down the pier length eventually crashing through.
The solution clearly then, to prevent a recurrence, is to raise and enlarge the breakwater sufficiently to provide protection against storms.
Here is the kicker, money for this kind of activity is available from the federal government with the approving minister (DFO) from West Vancouver.
Wouldn’t the official pier opening on Sept. 21 be the place for politicians to make such an announcement, just when White Rock needs to look at the breakwater upgrade, and of course just coincidentally weeks before a federal election with a government MP here looking for re-election?
Hopefully this is the plan.
Capt. Brian Tuomi, White Rock