Peering at the New Pier

I just wanted to share a story about my dog Lewi and me. We walk past the fishing pier on Crystal Lake, in Grand Rapids, next to the Itasca County Fairgrounds, almost every day, and we’ve walked that stretch together so many times that I lost count. I always thought that the pier needed some love.

Last August, ICTV staff produced a video about the new pier installed on Forest Lake.  You can find that video here:  https://ictv.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/show/29456?site=3.  A fun fact I learned from this video is there are nearly 400 fishing piers like this one across the state of Minnesota.

I had hoped that the Crystal Lake Pier would receive the long overdue repairs it deserved, and I was thrilled to notice last fall that it had been removed from the lake.  I figured it was getting a much-needed overhaul. One day recently, while walking in the early morning hours, I saw the new pier back in its original spot on the lake. 

I contacted the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) team to learn more about the pier. They told me that the Grand Rapids Public Works crew installed it. So, I contacted Matt Wegwerth, Public Works Director for the city, to get the scoop.

It turns out that the Public Works crew removed, rebuilt, and reinstalled the dock. The DNR provided funding assistance for materials. The metal frame underneath was reused, while the floats and wood decking/rails were replaced. They launched the pieces at the landing, put them together on the ice, and then towed them to the final spot with ropes. Once the ice melts, they will set it in the final location and install the connecting ramp.

I can’t wait for the ice to melt so we can walk on the new pier.