‘We don’t want anyone to be hurt’: Surfside officials advise avoiding pier construction

As Surfside Beach’s new pier starts to take shape, town officials are warning beachgoers to steer clear of the construction site out of fear that someone may get hurt.

During a council meeting on Tuesday, Town Manager William Shanahan said he recently saw someone encouraging children to stand underneath a crane on the beach. He said it is up to parents to make sure their kids are staying away from the equipment.

“We don’t want anyone to be injured or anyone to be hurt because of this project going up,” he said.

Shanahan also gave an update on the pier’s construction. He said the city is looking to get a metal frame for the building because it will sustain winds up to 180 mph and lowers insurance costs during and after construction. This will save the town about $25,000, he said. The team working on the pier has also decided to slow down the speed of the elevator, which will save more money.

The project team has been able to save $180,000 in costs, according to a Facebook post by Council member Cindy Keating. She said removal of a decorative aluminum lattice between the buildings will save the town money along with changing the type of siding on the buildings, which will cost $30,000. She said changing the elevator’s speed will save $7,000.

Also Tuesday, Mayor Bob Hellyer presented a proclamation to raise awareness of National Autism Awareness month. The town will keep its “autism friendly vacation destination,” which it has had since 2016. Surfside is the first official town to have that identity in the country.

Also, Surfside Farmer’s Market will be making its way back to the beach. Organizers of the event present at Tuesday’s meeting and council members approved the event, which costs the town a service fee of $7,500. The market will be open every Tuesday starting in May from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The market will have extended hours once every month as part of council’s agreement to accept the contract with Waccamaw Market Cooperative, which operates the market. The council also decided to look into other market options for next year due to the high service fee. The town receives no money from this event.

The town will have a budget workshop on Thursday at 10 a.m. to discuss the proposed 2021-2022 budget. The event will be open to the public. For those who can’t attend, stream it online or dial in at 877-309-2073 with access code 842-468-429.