Santa Cruz Wharf under repair, businesses hopeful

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- Visitors planning to head to the Santa Cruz Wharf this spring break may see a brief closure as the city prepares for essential repairs. The city will be addressing issues with the main water line, which is expected to temporarily impact the bustling waterfront area.

Local businesses along the Wharf are preparing for the upcoming closure, but they assure customers that they will remain open despite the disruptions. The closure is anticipated to last for a short period, with repairs expected to be completed by Friday.

Lance Haggard, operating manager of Fire Fish Grill, expressed his frustrations with the timing of the closures, which often seem to occur during busy periods. "Each one is like getting punched in the gut again," he said. "It seems like it's happening around busy times, like over Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, and now, you know, spring break, when every place is finally starting to make up that money they lost from the first two."

Despite the inconvenience, Haggard acknowledged that the repairs are necessary. "We have to be a little bit understanding. It's an older wharf, you know, the infrastructure needs some attention," he said. "It’d be nice if it could be done in the winter, but then we have the big swells and waves, which makes it a little bit harder."

While businesses are working through the temporary setbacks, some locals are concerned about the impact on commerce. Charles Carranza, a Santa Cruz resident, voiced his disappointment, saying, "It's kind of unfortunate that they have to close the wharf down again because it's been open for a little while. But it really puts the people that are having businesses out here probably are kind of short of luck as far as being able to sell their goods."

Dylan Newman, another local resident, shared similar sentiments, stating, "I think it's going to be ultimately a negative thing for the businesses that reside on the Wharf."

The city assures that the repairs will be completed promptly, and the Wharf is expected to reopen by Friday, just in time for spring break visitors.

For now, businesses remain open and ready to welcome customers, despite the temporary inconvenience.