OBSERVER Photo by Jo Ward The retaining wall on Lakefront Boulevard was heavily damaged in Sunday’s storm. The worst of it is between Beagle and Ermine Streets with another rough area between Lemming and Martin Streets.

A “perfect storm,” that’s what Director of Public Works Randy Woodbury told the OBSERVER Tuesday when asked about the damage to the retaining wall along Lakefront Boulevard in the city of Dunkirk Sunday.

The stone caps of the $4 million wall were moved, some as much as a foot, by powerful wave surges that were just a combination of everything working against it.

“It was a strange sequence of events,” Woodbury stated. “The wind was blowing in the opposite direction, the speed of the water crashing onto the wall, it all came in so fast.”

According to Woodbury, only the top blocks were moved. The wall itself withstood with no damage, as it had been built directly into rock. “We had a contractor come out and look at it, to make sure it’s safe for the time being, some ribar that held them together has actually snapped,” he said.

Woodbury told the OBSERVER that Dunkirk Fire Chief Mike Edwards received a call for emergency funds that the city will get to help with the repairs. Right now Woodbury is concerned with the upcoming weather that’s to take place later this week. “Bad weather can happen at any time in this area,” Woodbury added. “One minute it’s fine and then a half an hour later, something like this can happen, you just never know.”

Right now the Department of Public Works, as well as the city, ask that people not lean, sit on, touch or maneuver the cap blocks in any way, so as to protect themselves from possible injury should one let go. “Those blocks weigh about a ton each, people have to be careful around them right now,” Woodbury said.

Despite the damage to the wall, Dunkirk’s new pier held up extremely well, with no damage done to structures, benches or lamp posts.