FH Dock to be Back in Shape in May

The relatively new Hurricane Sandy-ravaged Fair Haven Dock has not seen any foot traffic lately; and, it likely won't until around Memorial Day.

That's the target date for getting the dock that was basically ripped apart and tossed down the river by Sandy put back together again, Mayor Ben Lucarelli said.

Right now, the dock looks pretty much the same as it did the day after Sandy hit, minus the downed wires nearby and tightly secured "do not cross" tape.

The dock, which was built in the early 1970s, always served as a social cornerstone for locals, from kids jumping off it as a hot spot for a swim and hanging with the popular pre-teens years ago to fishing, crabbing and concerts, and even weddings, more recently.

The dock was revamped in the early 1980s and then completely overhauled to include a gazebo and other amenites in 2009. The latest redesign cost more than $200,000.

There are no cost estimates yet for the Sandy-inspired fix-up, Lucarelli said, but, he added, an insurance claims adjuster needs to assess the damage and borough officials can then submit a proposal to the insurance company.

Lucarelli added that once all that is done and a dock builder weighs in, "it should be back in shape for Memorial Day."

In the meantime, take a look at some photos of the dock before and after Sandy and check out the YouTube video of Sandy dismantling the dock.

What are your favorite Fair Haven Dock memories? Tell us in the comments section below.