Humphris Park reopens but Jetty stays closed

VENICE — With tons of sand restored, Humphris Park reopened to the public Thursday after being closed prior to Tropical Storm Debby passing by.

Damage from the storm caused the South Jetty walkway, which abuts the park, to remain closed pending repairs, according to a news release from the city.

The walkway had only been open a few days after undergoing substantial work to correct problems caused by Hurricane Idalia nearly a year earlier.

Public Works crews got the park ready to reopen this week but the walkway will stay off limits for the foreseeable future, the news release stated.

West Coast Inland Navigation District Executive Director Justin McBride said about 60%-70% of the rocks used to shore it up were lost due to Debby, which eventually became a hurricane, and there are none onsite to replace them.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is planning a major project to protect the jetty from future damage. However, it's only in the design phase, McBride said, though it's possible the work could be expedited.

The news release stated the city and the ACE are coordinating repairs.