The iconic Avila Pier has been off limits since 2015 due to its age and the destructive hits it has taken from storms over the years.
I asked Roger York — a San Luis Obispo resident — if the pier's closure makes him emotional. “Oh, definitely," York said. "Yeah, it's terrible."
York sits at the same table at Hula Hut's shop every day and will sometimes see crews working on the pier. One of their most recent projects was installing new lampposts.
“The lighting is nice," York said. "And it'll be nice when we can use the pier, but right now I don't see a purpose for it."
According to Port San Luis, repairs have been slow since 2022 due to a lack of funding.
“The [Port San Luis Harbor District] is a rather small government organization, and so we rely almost entirely on grants and donor support to be able to do large projects like the Avila Pier," Chris Munson, facilities manager of Port San Luis Harbor District, tells me.
Munson said that's why the nonprofit Friends of Avila Pier has been vital to the pier's renovation process
Ron Pigeon with the organization, tells me since 2019 they’ve granted $345,000 to the harbor district, with their most recent donation of $100,000 just this week.
Their efforts won’t stop there though, as there’s still another $1 million needed to finish repairing the hardest-hit portion of the pier — the very end. It’s sustained the worst damage from storms that have pummelled it over the years.
“We really enjoy it, we see our role kind of as greasing the skids for the harbor district," Ron Pigeon, treasurer and secretary of Friends of Avila Pier, said.
Plans are to partially reopen the pier by the end of this year, and although visitors won’t be able to walk on it just yet, the work being done through the summer can offer a much-needed glimmer of hope for many.
“We're repairing the pier in the right way, and, it's going to look really good when it's done," Munson said.
“I have grandkids I love to take them out and do a little fishing out there again," Maulhardt said. "So it'd be nice when it reopens."
Friends of Avila Pier said they will recognize all donors who contribute $1,000 or more with a plaque on the pier. Prospective donors may pledge by credit card through their website, www.AvilaPier.org, or by sending a check to Friends of Avila Pier, PO Box 685, Avila Beach, CA 93424.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story stated that Friends of Avila Pier granted $245,000 to the Harbor District. The correct amount has been updated.
