Posted on April 8, 2024
On Wednesday April 3, city, state, U.S. officials, and residents of Padre Island gathered to celebrate the completion of the Packery Channel Restoration Project with a ceremony and ribbon cutting. This project took two years to complete.
“Look, it’s a great moment of celebration. Corpus Christi and the whole Gulf Coast faced devastating damage from Hurricane Harvey, and the Packery Channel was badly damaged,” Senator Ted Cruz said.
The restoration project started in January 2022 and consisted of multiple parts. Contractors on the project made repairs to shoreline protection, sidewalks, bollards, storm drains, handrails, and other damaged structures. In addition, over 106,000 cubic yards of sand was also added to Whitecap Beach to expand it.
“It’s unfortunate it took seven years to get to this point, but it’s great to have it completed. Secondly, it was the maintenance dredging and renourishment that also came into conclusion of the restoration project. And that’s great to have that done too.”
The restored Packery Channel is connected to the Padre Island canal system. Now, boaters can go through the channel from the canals.
“Well it’s nice to not have a dredge over here. There’s been a dredge, or there’s been workers over here for two plus years now, accomplishing this project. So, it’s nice that you know they’ve got a free passageway now,” Councilman Suckley said.
Padre Island residents and visitors alike can recreationally enjoy the newly restored channel.
“And to make this back available for the residents of Corpus and for Texans all across the state to enjoy the natural beauty that Corpus is blessed with,” Senator Cruz said.
“That’s right. That’s absolutely right and even though it’s within Corpus Christi, it really serves the region. The benefits of what has come to fruition today are truly endless,” Mayor Paulette Guajardo said.
