New London Pier safety in question

New London, Conn. (WTNH) - Every summer thousands head to the New London City Pier for Sailfest or fireworks. But, there are new questions about the structural safety of the popular waterside attraction.

First installed in 1939, the timbers support the 350 foot concrete pier which extends into the Thames River.

"I'm not really qualified but the pilings don't look very good," said Waterford's Peter Pantelis.

Some repairs were made in the 1990's but even these guys who walk the pier most days sense something's wrong.

"Him and I noticed the slope that's up here now. Years ago in the beginning it was flat straight across right right," said New London's Matt Cavan.

An engineering firm out of Cheshire said the pilings are sinking under the weight of the concrete deck; it was a problem first noticed last year when some of brick pavers began to sink causing a tripping problem.

"They ripped them up and they realized it was a bigger problem and that it was fine for last year's Sailfest but they needed to look into it for this coming year's Sailfest," said New London Waterfront Coordinator Barbara Neff.

The city's largest summertime event Sailfest will go on but there will be changes. No longer will thousands gather on the pier for the fireworks and vendors will have to be moved.

"We'll only be putting tents and they'll only be the first 100 [to]120 feet and that's all," Neff said.

The city will now seek stimulus money to rebuild the pier.

"If it costs $4 million -- if they can do something to bring people downtown it would be worth it. But if they fix it and there's nothing going there than what good is it?" said Konstantinos Papathanasiou of Captain's Restaurant.

It's really just the last 140 feet of the pier which is the concern but folks in the city say people can still go for walks along here and go fishing.

In the meantime, the city manager will try to see if the city can tap into some stimulus money to get the pier replaced.