Industrial concrete floor becomes tourist attraction

In March 2011, much of northern Japan was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami that hit the country. As well as the horrendous loss of life, billions of pounds worth of damage was caused to the country’s infrastructure, with swathes of the coastline being torn apart.

Much of the debris from the crisis is presently caught up in the Pacific Ocean, though some of it is now beginning to make land fall.

One such item has become a rather surprising tourist attraction

A 165-ton, 66-foot-long dock, made from reinforced industrial concrete flooring and foam, has made its way onto an Oregon beach in the US.

It arrived at Agate Beach, a popular place for recreation in the area, in early June 2012 and instantly became a visitor hotspot. It is estimated that already tens of thousands of people have visited the site.

In just the first week, the Oregon state parks department said that 11,000 cars had been counted in the parking lot.

Such has been the impact of the docks unannounced arrival that many residents are suggesting the dock should become a memorial to those who lost their lives in the disaster.

However, others have cited it is an eyesore, and are demanding it be removed.

Whilst the preferred option is to dismantle the dock and consign it to landfill, what actually happens is still unclear though.

A spokesman from the state parks, Chris Havel, said:

“It’s not an automatic decision that everything must go.”

Proposals as to what will be done are still being assessed by the parks department.