By Michelle Wagner
Correspondent
North Carolina Aquariums moved a step closer toward rebuilding Jennette's Pier when Nags Head commissioners unanimously granted site plan approval last week for the $15 million project.
Aquariums Director David Griffin said the state agency will solicit bids for the project beginning this week and expects to award a contract by early December. Once a contract is awarded, construction would take about 16 months.
"We hope to have an opening of May 2010," Griffin said Friday. "We feel like this will be a huge addition to the Whalebone area, Nags Head and the entire county - and not just for fishing and beach access, but for educational purposes as well."
The concrete-and-wood pier, when completed, would stretch 1,000 feet from the shoreline and be about 25 feet wide. The project would include a two-story pier house of about 16,000 square feet. In the pier house, Griffin said, there would be room for educational programs, a 200-seat meeting space and alternative energy generators.
The pier and pier house would be designed to withstand hurricane winds of 130 mph or more.
Griffin said the structure would be a state-of-the-art building incorporating many environmentally friendly features.
"It will be a very solid building but also very green," he said.
He said the group is still working to receive some state permits for construction.
There are three 100-foot wind turbines proposed along the pier to offset electrical costs, said Nags Head Planning Director Tim Wilson. Also, there would be a geothermal system for heating and cooling and a rain collection system.
Griffin said educational programs will be geared for all ages, and the group hopes to hold educational fishing tournaments.
"We feel there is a generation that is growing up that doesn't know how to fish," he said. "We want to teach conservation through catch-and-release."
Jennette's Pier, built in 1939, was damaged in 2003 by powerful winds and storm surge during Hurricane Isabel. The pier lost about 540 feet.
It was demolished in the spring to make way for the new project.
The North Carolina Aquarium Society purchased Jennette's Pier in late 2002, Griffin said. The state bought it in late 2007.
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I agree Sara. .
Why do people see it necessary to shoot or hook animals minding their own business? A better idea would be an aquarium with native species, as well as information as to conservation, and why is necessary to a species long term survival. Look at what overfishing has done to the crab supply in Tangier.
Go Figure
Anyone know what's going on inside the Town of Nags Head Commissioner's heads? Let's sum it up.
(1) 1,000 feet to the south of this propossed project, a 5-story hotel is about to fall into the ocean due to beach erosion.
(2) 1,000 feet to the north of the proposed project, two motels are sandbagged and the ocean swirls around them constantly.
(3) A 5-year emergency berm was recently installed, which lasted less than one year.
(4) The voters have recently spoken in two different elections, saying, in effect, they didn't want to pay for beach nourishment, indicating that a large majority of them don't believe it will be successful.
(5) There are no inications on the horizon whatsoever that beach nourishment, in any fashion, is in the future for Nags Head.
(6) Meanwhile, cottages continue to fall into the ocean.
(7) No enforcable action(s) have been taken by Nags Head or the State of North Carolina to discourage further building too close to the ocean.
(8) Yet, Nags Head now says it wants to start planning for the future; on which must deal with more global warming and continued beach erosion.
(9) So, says the town board, "why not let the State build a $15 million fishing/ed
Try it,you might like
Try it,you might like it............
sounds fishy
I don't get it. Griffin said... "We feel there is a generation that is growing up that doesn't know how to fish". "We want to teach conservation through catch-and-release." What difference does it make if a generation grows up without knowing how to fish, if they are simply catching a fish to throw it back? I assume he wants them thrown back because it is the humane thing to do. What's humane about sinking a sharp hook in a fish's mouth to begin with, then pulling it out of the water and watching it gasp for air? I'm sure the fish doesn't get any pleasure out of it, and wouldn't conservation be more aptly taught by just letting the fish stay in the ocean to begin with where they live? I don't think you have to hook one and pull it out to teach a kid to let them stay in the water where they are minding their own business.