Council approves ‘emergency repair’ of Lady Liberty pier at City Beach

By Zach Hagadone
Reader Staff

Lady Liberty is in need of a footlift. That is, a large portion of the concrete pier on which she stands at City Beach in Sandpoint is in “bad shape,” according to Parks and Recreation Director Kim Woodruff.

The Sandpoint City Council voted March 5 to approve a bid of $120,980 to local company C.E. Kramer and Crane to perform emergency repair work on 81 linear feet of failed jetty between the statue and the shoreline, as well as 41 feet of retaining wall that have suffered damage from several severe storms over the past five years.

While the section of pier where the statue sits is in relatively good condition, the span nearer the beach has shifted and settled, presenting a hazard to the many hundreds of locals and visitors who frequent the local landmark each year. 

“The plan is to get this done before the water comes up,” Woodruff said. 

According to city documents, that means the work will need to be completed on or before April 15. 

While Woodruff told council members that the expenditure was unforeseen, and therefore not included in the most recent budget, there is funding available through various savings and, potentially, by drawing on the Parks Capital Improvement Fund. 

Councilman Andry Groat admitted to suffering a bit of “sticker shock” when he saw the price tag on the project, but said it was the right fix for a long-term solution.

Beyond its aesthetic draw, Woodruff underscored the importance of the pier to the beach itself. Extending about 140 feet from the shoreline, its primary function is to trap beach sand, which, because of water and weather patterns, naturally migrates southward into the lake. 

“Without that pier there, we would have no sand at City Beach,” he said, adding that city crews still have to ensure the beach sand stays in place each year. 

“We move it up, and God moves it down,” he added.