Residents Flock to Enjoy an Unopened Pier

Lured by brisk spring weather, scores of Ventura residents on Saturday once again reveled in the views and the rustic feel of the city’s landmark pier.

Fishermen were encamped at the very end. Couples strolled arm in arm. And cyclists cruised along the wooden planks.

To many, the unannounced, untrumpeted reopening of the pier, shuttered since January for major structural repairs, seemed too good to be true.

And it was.

After seven hours of unrestricted access to the 1,958-foot-long walkway, Ventura police arrived late in the afternoon to shoo residents away, saying it was still officially closed for repair.

Early morning pranksters, it seems, had unbolted the base of a chain-link fence and shoved it aside. A spray-painted sign, “Hard Hat/Life Vest Required. No Exception” lay against a wooden rail.

“We’ve had people jump the fence before,” said Police Officer David Wilson. “But to my knowledge I don’t think anyone’s torn the fence down.”

Before police arrived, passersby said they were surprised to find the pier reopened.

“We were just walking by, and I saw people out there. I said to Ray, ‘Oh, it’s open. Let’s go walk on the pier,’ ” said Peggy Younes.

Jim Bouressa, 36, said he went home to get his 5-year-old son, Adam, after seeing the fence open.

“But I would think they’d have put (news about the opening) in the paper or something.”

Ron Calkins, director of the city’s Public Works Department, said the pier will officially reopen next Saturday.

The repairs, he said, are complete, but city employees still have cleanup work to do.

And while most residents left without a fuss, a few fishermen who had spent the day drinking beer and casting lines did not hide their frustration.

“I want to know why we can’t go fishing on my pier when it’s safe,” said Mike Laslie of Ventura. “We’ve waited three months for them to open the pier. It’s finally open, and they come out and close it down.”