photo credit: Ray Saint Germain
By Tony Hicks – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, appeared in Martinez on Tuesday morning to announce they helped secure more than $3.54 million for two projects in Contra Costa County, including more than $2.5 million to help renovate the Martinez Municipal Fishing Pier.
The other $1 million is for the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office’s Transitional Aged Youth Diversion Program. The program helps shift the office’s focus away from punitive measures and seeks to focus on healing, restoration, and accountability as well as a means to address recidivism rates.
The money comes from the final 2023 appropriations government funding bill, which now goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.
“Working with local Contra Costa County leaders to identify projects that will help our community is one of my top priorities every year,” Thompson said in a statement. “These projects will revitalize Martinez fishing pier and support local youth in pursuing a healthy and successful life.”
Repairing the pier – which has periodically been closed for safety reasons, especially during storms — has been a city priority for years. Damage has been found to the decking above and to more than a dozen pilings supporting the pier below the water line.
The money will go for construction work, deck railings, and to make the whole pier compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The popular regional draw was built in 1934, with parts rebuilt in 1976.
Super. Parts of that public pier are iffy. New pilings, please!!!
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Hopefully they’ll leave it partially open instead of a full closure while conducting the work so we can fish.
I wish they would extend it a little. Could go out farther.
One million dollars for this? I would like to know what will be implemented, because one million will be a drop in the bucket. They better have a good plan rather than just reducing jail time. I have a feeling nothing good will come from this. I think they are dreaming.
“The program helps shift the office’s focus away from punitive measures and seeks to focus on healing, restoration, and accountability as well as a means to address recidivism rates”.
Great that this is finally getting done. The marina and parks are what gives Martinez its character and sense of community.
Less punitive and more healing?
So bad kid does bad stuff. So instead of punishing bad kid for the crime, they are going to help the kid heal? Sorry a bit lost here …. I guess we are still moving away from the old saying, “do the crime, do the time”. And the world wonders why we are such a messed up state.
As for the pier, awesome news. That is really something to be excited about. I remember crab fishing as a youth, not in the East Bay, and how entertaining and joyful it was. I think a revitalized pier could provide youth and adults a place to relax safely.
Not just state but country. So much damage is being done I have doubts about getting back to being normal.