Giant sink hole repair may begin this fall at New Brighton Beach State Park

Repair for the giant sink hole at the New Brighton Beach State Park parking lot may begin as early as this fall, according to Santa Cruz District Superintendent Chris Spohrer.

“We are hopeful that the funding for fiscal year 2016 and 2017, which began on July 1, will include funding (for repairing the sinkhole),” said Spohrer. The California Department of Park and Recreation will notify New Brighton Beach State Park with the resultin August. “It’s not confirmed, but we are very optimistic,” said Spohrer.

The sink hole first appeared this winter and enlarged rapidly over the course of two to three heavy El Nino storms. “It has stabilized since the winter, ” said Sphorer. “It’s about 25 feet wide, 40 feet long, and 20 feet deep.”

Depending on when the park receives funding, it hopes to begin reconstruction either this fall or at the beginning of next year, after the rains. It will take approximately two years to fix the property, said Spohrer.