DELRAY BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — The City of Delray Beach says the initial mobilization for an upcoming beach renourishment project will take place Dec. 29–30 at the Casuarina beach access, and the area “will not be accessible during this time.”

Beachgoers who normally cut in at Casuarina will need a new plan this week.

The short closure sparked a familiar split online: some residents applauding the work, others frustrated with the timing during peak season, and a handful of commenters debating why the staging area was selected.

Several posters questioned why mobilization is happening between Christmas and New Year’s, when beaches and hotels are typically packed. “Good…during high season..well planned!!!!” one commenter wrote. Another added, “By all means, begin during the height of season, just like you choose to do for all major projects.”

Others zeroed in on the broader beach conditions, saying erosion has been obvious. “Was wondering when they’d start dredging. There’s no beach left,” one person wrote.

A separate thread turned into a back-and-forth about why Casuarina was chosen. One commenter argued that the beach there is already wide, writing that the shoreline is “deeper than a football field by Casuarina,” while adding that the north end can be underwater during high tides. Another commenter pushed back, saying the staging was selected for that very reason — that a large area is needed to stage heavy equipment used across the full project area — and that the work is intended to bring the beachfront to federal specifications.

Complaints about crowding also surfaced. “Now? This area has been a mob scene this week,” one resident wrote.

In response, another commenter said the timing is driven by contractor availability, describing it as a federal contract with limited qualified bidders and limited dredge availability across multiple regions, with dredge boats sometimes pulled to emergency work elsewhere.

Not everyone was mad about it. One commenter mocked the negativity and suggested there’s no perfect window, writing that doing major beach work during hurricane season would draw even louder complaints. Another commenter, however, said the closure — even for two days — is a bad look during one of Delray’s busiest stretches, arguing that tourism is a major economic driver and asking why it wouldn’t happen in summer instead.

A few comments wandered into other beach-adjacent issues. One person asked about the status of new bathrooms near the beach. Another criticized earlier landscaping changes, saying Delray “never should have cut down” sea grape landscaping that provided shade and wind protection. And one commenter pivoted to parking and time limits, urging the city to consider resident impacts.

For now, the city’s message is straightforward: Dec. 29 and Dec. 30 are mobilization days at Casuarina, and the access will not be available during that window.