CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City of Corpus Christi held a special ground breaking ceremony to begin restoration work along the Packery Channel.
The Packery Channel Restoration Project is a $13.5 million dollar project funded by FEMA. The channel was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey more than four years ago.
Along the Channel there are still some $15 million worth of repairs that need to be made to the shoreline protection system.
City Manager Peter Zanoni said that the funds will be mathced.
"The $13.5 million we are receiving from FEMA will be matched by 1.5 from our TIRZ or the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone," Zanoni said.
Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo told the crowd who braved the frigid conditions that the restoration along with channel is just one of a number of projects that should lead to more development on the island.
"Together with the construction of Park Road 22 bridge, the Whitecap waste water treatment plant improvements, and improvement projects in Billish and Douden parks among many other projects and initiatives," Guajardo said. "North Padre Island is on the horizon for economic development boom that we have never seen before."
There were also state and federal officials who were on hand for the ceremony to break ground on the project. State Representative Todd Hunter was there as were Congressmen Michael cloud and Senator Ted Cruz. The Mayor's message on this day was that the City is committed to helping the island economy grow.
"There are over $40 million worth of city projects planned or currently underway on this island," Guajardo said "And these are all game changers for the Economic Development that will be forthcoming."
Official say that the work at the Packery channel should be completed by June 2023 and they will have another ceremony marking the end of the restoration project.
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