The North and South Piers in St. Joseph now have new signs posted, warning people not to venture on to the structures during poor weather.
The warning signs at the piers were replaced on Friday, thanks to Chris Siriano, the Rotary Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor, and the Kiwanis Club of St. Joseph-Benton Harbor. Siriano tells us after witnessing someone be washed off the South Pier and drowning several years ago, he wanted to take action to warn people about the dangers posed by the piers.
“I think it’s vitally important, mainly to younger folks and to visitors that don’t know the dangers, like Michigan people that aren’t from here don’t know that,” Siriano said.
Warning signs were installed following drownings in 2015, but over the years, they were damaged by the elements. So, Siriano has been hard at work to get new signs. He says it took the approval of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Berrien County, and the city of St. Joseph to put in new signs.
Rotary club president Jennifer Cole told us her organization got involved to help educate visitors and make them aware of the dangers of Lake Michigan.
“Rotary’s motto is Service above Self, and one of the services that we like to provide to the community and internationally is education,” Cole said. “I think this is the ultimate in education, to educate people on what can happen on the pier, the dangers. We have so many visitors that visit that just don’t know, they don’t live by the lake, they don’t have piers, and so I think it’s just the ultimate in service to our community.”
Both signs will feature pictures of people who lost their lives at the pier. Siriano says he also wants to hold a memorial for those who have died off the pier.
