By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
Construction bids for a new fishing pier and kayak launch site overlooking Sea Isle City’s picturesque back bays were opened Wednesday, a critical step in the push to get the eagerly awaited project ready in time for the 2020 summer tourism season.
EZ Docks South of Ocean View submitted the apparent low bid of $975,550 among eight companies vying for the contract. The other seven bids ranged from $1,039,000 to $2,087,892.
Sea Isle has received a $935,605 grant from Cape May County’s Open Space Board to help pay for the project. If EZ Docks South is formally awarded the contract, the city would have to kick in only a small amount to complete the funding.
“The project is within the budget limits, so I don’t see an issue there,” City Engineer Andrew Previti said after the bids were opened.
At this point, EZ Docks South is considered the “apparent low bidder.” Its bid will be scrutinized to make sure it meets all of the requirements before City Council would vote to formally award the contract.
“Thanks to our county, this will cost the taxpayers of Sea Isle City very little. That’s very important,” said Mayor Leonard Desiderio, who also serves as a county freeholder.
Sea Isle is awaiting final approval of state and federal permits from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before the contract is awarded and construction begins, Previti said.
Previti estimated construction will get underway sometime in the spring and continue through part of the summer. But he noted that the project should be completed in time for the summer season.
A sign erected at the site gives a sneak preview of the project. It includes an architectural rendering accompanied by the words, “Coming soon … Opening in 2020.”
Jutting 132 feet out into the water, the Boardwalk-style structure will be built near 60th Street at the Dealy Field athletic and recreation complex. There is an adjacent parking lot.
“This project will be a great addition to our community,” Desiderio said. “I can envision many of our residents and visitors utilizing this for fun and recreation. The location is ideal because of the vast amount of parking and because of its closeness to other recreation at this site.”
Amenities include a fishing pier and a handicap-accessible launch facility for kayaks and paddleboards. Kayak storage racks will also be offered as an extra convenience for those who are eager to paddle on the bay.
The project will also include decorative lighting and a “passive pier” featuring a covered pavilion. Desiderio envisions the passive pier as a quiet location for nature lovers to enjoy the wildlife, bayfront views and sunsets.
Crowded with upscale homes, Sea Isle’s bayfront offers few places where kayakers, paddleboarders and anglers have public access to the water. The new fishing pier and kayak launch facility will give the public a prime location to enjoy the back bays.
A communitywide survey conducted in 2015 included responses from local residents urging the city to create more access to the bayfront as a way to enhance recreation, including kayaking.
