$2M in repairs done at Pleasure Beach breakwaters

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has provided $2 million to repair the breakwaters off of Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, Conn. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has provided $2 million to repair the breakwaters off of Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, Conn. Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 47 Caption Close $2M in repairs done at Pleasure Beach breakwaters 1 / 47 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided $2 million to repair the breakwaters off Pleasure Beach, city officials said Monday.

The repairs along the beach will protect the 71-acre barrier island from erosion and storm damage. The work has been completed ahead of this year's beach season.

"Last year, we reopened Pleasure Beach to the public after decades of closure and neglect," Finch said. "Now, we're seeing further investment that will help safeguard the barrier island and the thousands of visitors who enjoy this newly reopened gem in our city."

U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, all Democrats, worked to secure the federal grant, said Brett Broesder, spokesman for Mayor Bill Finch.

An amusement park had operated at Pleasure Beach from the 1890s until 1966; the only bridge providing visitor access burned 30 years later.

Access was restored last summer via free water taxis, and Finch said more than 25,000 people visited the restored and rebuilt facilities.

Damage from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 affected about 4,500 lineal feet of the breakwater. The repairs were funded from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013, according to a statement from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The work is part of a $7.4 million project to rebuild breakwaters in Bridgeport and New Haven, federal officials said. Bridgeport Harbor may also be dredged as part of a separate project, the army engineers said in a news release.

A preliminary assessment concluded that the work is justified, but is awaiting a plan to relocate the dredged material.

The Bridgeport breakwaters were originally authorized in 1790, Broesder said, and the last known update was in the 1800s.

In 1892, Bridgeport took ownership of Pleasure Beach after annexing the island from West Stratford, Broesder said.

fjuliano@ctpost.com, @FrankJuliano