Lincoln Minor Sr. and his grandson, Lincoln Minor III, 13, of Campbell, fish off the side of the reopened Santa Cruz wharf downtown on Jan. 4, 2025. The wharf was closed on the afternoon of Dec. 23, 2024, as heavy surf from Pacific storms pounded California’s coast. The elder Minor said that he and his grandson fish there 1 or 2 times a month. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
Santa Cruz residents and tourists celebrated the reopening of the iconic wharf on Saturday morning after a 150-foot portion collapsed into the water nearly two weeks ago amid a surge of strong waves.
At a city event to celebrate the reopening, Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley reassured a crowd of about 200 that the wharf is safe.
“We have had folks who are professionals in this field take a look at the entire wharf from beginning to end, from wall to wall, from side to side, and what we know is this wharf is sound and safe for you to be here,” Keeley said. “To have this back is like having a family member come home.”
Just hours after reopening, the wharf was already bustling with people fishing, riding bikes, dining or taking a stroll. Several people leaned over the side of the wharf to watch a group of sea lions basking on the wharf’s lower structure.
Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley addresses the media and public at a press conference marking the reopened wharf downtown on Jan. 4, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
Sacramento residents and regular visitors Mike Knezovich and Joan Krueger said they were devastated when they heard of the collapse and came back for the reopening just weeks after they got engaged on one of the nearby cliffs overlooking the wharf.
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“We are so happy, this is our favorite place,” Krueger said. “Today, we’re going to go to the shops and support them.”
Businesses reopened to the public on the Santa Cruz Wharf downtown. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
The part of the wharf that collapsed was under construction, making it vulnerable to the nearly 20-foot waves that battered it on Dec. 23, before it collapsed amid the high surf and heavy rain. Two people had to be rescued while a third person swam to safety, according to the Santa Cruz Fire Department.
One of those rescued was Norm Daly, economic development manager for the city of Santa Cruz, who spoke to KQED after the opening ceremony.
“We were doing our typical inspection rounds … we noticed there was heavy swell activity but nothing to be alarmed about. In one second, I was 25 feet above the water, and one second later, I was in the ocean,” said Daly, who was rescued by lifeguards with Jet Skis, sustaining minor leg injuries. “Climate change … is a big challenge for the entire California coastline. I think the wharf is well suited to survive most impacts, although we don’t know exactly what some of those impacts will be. But at the moment, the wharf is 100% safe.”
An employee of FireFish Grill washes the windows after nearly 2 weeks of business closure of the Santa Cruz Wharf. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
For businesses, the timing of the collapse was unfortunate.
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“This is normally a big time for us that helps us get through some of the slower months,” said Gino Marini, a fourth-generation owner of a local candy shop, Marini’s. “It’s been kinda stressful. … We’re just ecstatic that we’ve been able to open again.”
Alisha Dodds, manager of Gilda’s on the Wharf, said it’s been a rollercoaster and that they were excited to be open again.
“We’ve had a ton of our regulars come out to support us, and they feel like extended family,” Dodds said. “The Santa Cruz Wharf has been around for over a hundred years, and I think it will continue to be around for over a hundred years. We just have to have a plan of yearly maintenance. … I think the city will prioritize that.”
Members of the media and the public watch seals at the edge end of the pier prior to a press conference for the reopening of the Santa Cruz Wharf downtown on Jan. 4, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
A local nonprofit, Community Bridges, is providing $500 stipends to low-income employees who lost wages — including some of the staff of Gilda’s. The city is in talks with each of the about 20 businesses on the wharf about potential rent reductions to soften the blow, although Mayor Keeley said the 110-year-old pier may eventually need to be reimagined.
Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keeley speaks with the media after a press conference marking the reopened wharf downtown. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
“What is the right wharf? Given climate change, given what we’re going to experience, this is the new normal. What [are] the things we can do to make sure we have a wharf 100 years from now?” asked Keeley.
No decision has been made on the future of the pier. Keeley said he does not expect the end of the wharf to be rebuilt, although he stated that any future discussions on the wharf would take into account the views of Santa Cruz residents and businesses at the wharf.
Santa Cruz City Councilmember Sonja Brunner’s district includes the harbor where the wharf is located.
Members of the media work at the edge end of the pier prior to a press conference for the reopening of the Santa Cruz Wharf downtown. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
“Over the years, there’s been a lot of discussions and engagement regarding [the] wharf master plan, and the community has been really excited about preserving this iconic location and keeping the wharf,” Brunner said, adding that several people who lived on their boats in the harbor had been displaced when their boats were damaged on Dec. 23. “We have amazing long-term businesses that want to stay and be here. Reopening the wharf and getting that structural integrity go-ahead was really exciting.”
Brunner added that Santa Cruz city staff, the harbor and the port commission were working together and had requested a declaration of emergency from Gov. Gavin Newsom that would provide state and federal assistance.
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