Fishing Pier (Finally) Coming to Dobbinsville (in 2025) 🎣
What had been a back-burner idea for roughly a decade, took a big step toward reality this week, as the Delaware DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife presented a preliminary concept plan for a public Fishing Pier just south of Dobbinsville to New Castle City Council, which unanimously approved the state agency to proceed to the design phase of the project.
The pier would extend about 300 over the river and connect to a newly-paved Deemer Beach parking lot. DNREC would use state and federal funds to pay for the lot improvement (including space for a restroom) and the pier itself, which is expected to be made from aluminum over wood or concrete piles. The city would be responsible for basic upkeep of the site (mowing, light bulb replacement, etc.), which would be open 24/7.
We followed up with DNREC presenters John Clark and Jeremey Ashe about the timeline for the project. Mr. Ashe replied, "I am optimistic that our design will be completed by 2024 and hopeful our construction can begin in 2025. Permits are the biggest unknown... I will have a much better understanding of timeline once we get past the 60% design phase which will hopefully be completed within 6 months."