Federal project providing critical repairs to Vermilion Harbor West Pier

Work is underway on the west shore of the Vermilion River to provide critical maintenance to the historic Vermilion Harbor West Pier, thanks to over $6 million in federal funds. The work, which began Aug. 12, was announced on Wednesday by Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, who helped earmark the funds for the project. "Marcy Kaptur has been an incredibly generous friend to Vermilion, getting us more than $6 million to get that thing done," Vermilion Mayor Jim Forthofer told The Chronicle. "Because we are such a busy harbor particularly during the summer, this kind of thing is essential. But as a little community, we would never have the resources to do this on our own." The project includes repairs to roughly 400 feet of the pier at the Wakefield MetroPark, owned by Erie MetroParks, along with the installation of a new retaining wall to combat erosion. The work is being carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District and Architectural Consulting Group of Chicago and will cost $6.3 million, all of which is being funded by federal dollars. "The repair of the Vermilion Harbor West Pier represents a historic investment in our region's infrastructure," Kaptur said. "This project will not only enhance safety for interlake and international trade but also protect our precious Lake Erie. A thriving Lake Erie is essential for the prosperity of Northwest Ohio and the entire Great Lakes Region. I am proud to have secured the necessary funding to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in this critical endeavor, and I look forward to the completion of these improvements." Repairs along the West Pier are expected to be completed this fall. This project is a continuation of a 2023 project carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. That project made repairs to 900 feet of the West Pier, including along the beach. "The Army Corps has been very cooperative in not being disruptive to our summer operations," Forthofer said. "Last year when they were doing the West Pier they wanted to bring all their heavy equipment across the beach all summer. That would've killed our beach business, so they cooperated and put it off until after Labor Day. They still got it done with plenty of time and gave us our summer." In July, just before the current project, the Corps successfully dredged the federal navigation channel of the Vermilion River. "Maintaining safe navigation on Lake Erie and ensuring the viability of Vermilion Harbor for both local and regional economies is among our top priorities," Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, commander of the Corps Buffalo District, said. "Our strong partnerships with local, state and federal leaders have made it possible to deliver this project on time, within budget, and effectively." The Erie MetroParks welcomed the work and said that once it was complete the park system would move forward with its own projects on the waterfront. "We are excited to see these repairs to the southern portion of the Vermilion Harbor Pier," Erie MetroParks Executive Director Melissa Price said. "Once completed, Erie MetroParks will move forward with Phase III of our beach revitalization project in 2025, enhancing the area with new paths, native plantings and additional seating." The Vermilion Harbor is one of the largest small-craft harbors on the shores of Lake Erie as well as one of its most historically significant, being originally built in 1836. According to Kaptur, the harbor generates nearly $7 million in annual local revenue and creates the equivalent of 44 full-time jobs. "It's incredibly important to the thousands of boating visitors we have every year," Forthofer said. "They're able to come in, pay for dockage, pay for dinner at one of our nice restaurants and shop at our boutiques. If they grounded out coming in the mouth of the river, it would be a bad piece of publicity for the city. So (the work is) very welcome and again, it's something the city never could have afforded, either in technical expertise or financial resources, ourselves." Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.