Stabilization needed for Rehoboth’s canal bank

Whether Rehoboth Beach officials decide to remove the Grove Park canal dock and its supporting walkway or not, there is a need for riprap to stabilize the slope, said professional engineer Fernando Garcia during a commissioner workshop Feb. 10.

“Something will need to be done,” said Garcia.

Garcia was addressing commissioners in the wake of the news that the canal bank above the dock had settled and caused cracks along the concrete walkway that allows people to navigate the bank safely. Commissioners found out about the issue during a budget meeting in late January, when $400,000 for riprap was included as part of the capital improvement plan in next year’s proposed budget. As a result of the settling and cracks, the city has closed access to the walkway and dock indefinitely.

Garcia said the soil along the canal was tested in multiple areas, revealing a layer of soft clay near the base of the slope. The weight of the concrete walkway is pushing down on that clay, which is causing the sliding, he said.

Bob Palmer is an engineer for Beacon Engineering who has worked with the city on a number of projects over the years. He was brought in on this one after the cracking issues were first noticed. He said the canal bank has moved nearly an inch since August. It still appears to be active, he said, adding the sidewalk is now out of ADA compliance.

Palmer also confirmed what Garcia said. If the city chooses to stabilize the structure or to remove the structure, riprap will be needed, said Palmer.

Mayor Stan Mills said he’s concerned that adding riprap to the base of the canal bank will not solve the problem.

Garcia said he guarantees it will work because the riprap would support the weight above and stop the sliding. If the city chooses to remove the walkway infrastructure, the slope will need to be regraded, he said.

Commissioner Suzanne Goode said she was in favor of the city cutting its losses with the canal dock. The ocean outfall pipe runs parallel to the canal there, which makes it an area the city needs to preserve, she said.

Palmer added that one of the city’s two main water pipes is also in that area. It’s an area that begs to be protected, he said.

Former Commissioner Pat Coluzzi was in attendance at the meeting. She was a commissioner when the city agreed to move forward with the project in 2019, and she was also a part of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Improvement Association that secured nearly $1 million worth of funding for the project. She urged commissioners to keep the canal dock.

She said it’s a public dock that a lot of people use, and it could be used a lot more. It would be a travesty to just rip it out, she said, and it would reflect poorly on the city.

A month prior to the news of the cracking walkway, officials from Rehoboth Beach Main Street made a presentation saying the canal dock has had little use since it first opened in 2021.

Former Commissioner Lisa Schlosser was also in attendance at the meeting and was also a commissioner when the city agreed to move forward with the project. She said the city needs to think strategically because the project was funded 80% by the LRCIA’s efforts. The city can come up with the revenue, she said.

This group of commissioners has already lost Deauville Beach, said Schlosser. Don’t be the ones who lose the canal dock too, she said.

Property owner Tom Gaynor had a different take on the situation. This is just another example of the city making silly decisions, he said, questioning why it was ever built.

At the budget meeting in January, city staff said the canal bank issue was noticed when officials from the museum called to notify the city about cracks in the first-floor bathroom of the museum. The city owns the building.

Palmer said the cracks in the building are not related to the cracks in the walkway.

Landscape Architectural Service was the company that did the original engineering work for LRCIA, which dissolved in 2022. Commissioners discussed if the city could force that company to pay for the work.

At the end of the discussion, commissioners tasked City Manager Taylour Tedder with getting more information related to costs for fixing the walkway, and for removing the walkway and grading the canal bank.