Bridgeport, CT – Seven years after Hurricane Irene and the damage inflicted on Bridgeport from Superstorm Sandy, Mayor Ganim  joined local youth from the City Summer Camp to celebrate the reopening of the Al Bennett Fishing Pier at Seaside Park. As part of the celebration, city officials were joined by nine to ten-year-old children from the City Recreation Department’s Seaside Park Summer Day Camp for a fishing lesson provided by the Bridgeport Police Department.

The long-awaited construction was made possible by the Parks and Recreation Department seeking and securing federal assistance from the State Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security (DEMHS) through FEMA.

“Reopening the Al Bennett Fishing Pier is a testament to my administration’s commitment to preserving an element of what makes living in Bridgeport so special. Through state support, I’m thrilled to offer this pier back to the fishing community and all residents and visitors to enjoy Bridgeport’s variety of parks and recreational activities.” said Mayor Ganim.

The original pier was completed in the 1970’s and, while over 30 years of withstanding inclement weather is impressive, new technology will position the replacement pier into lasting even longer. Modern engineering, analytical tools, and rock-socket drilling are some of the improvements through which the recreational amenity will structurally and effectively respond to future storms.

(City of Bridgeport Press Release)