History buff launches Balboa into cyberspace

Noaki Schwartz

BALBOA -- Jim Fournier started out by chronicling Balboa’s weekly events

in a newspaper, then compiling peninsula stories for a book. Now he’s

sharing the community with the rest of the world through his Web site at

o7 www.talesofbalboa.com.f7

It all started about five years ago, when he was sitting by the Balboa

Pier with friend Pam Rooney.

She pointed out to the history buff that he knew everything there was to

know about the community and should start a newspaper. Fournier started a

weekly newsletter and called it the Balboa Blab. The weekly has since

changed hands and is now known as the Balboa Beacon.

Not long after, Fournier decided to go from reporter to author and wrote

the book “Tales of Balboa.” Not one to twiddle his thumbs for long, once

the book was out he began to toy with the idea of sharing the quaint

wonders of Balboa with the world.

“A year ago, back in March, I bought a new computer and went online for

the first time,” he said. “I thought it would be a great avenue to tell

the world about Balboa and be a public service for the town.”

He dedicated the site to Rooney, who has since passed on. The Web site

has movie reviews, daily weather forecasts, pictures of the community and

stories about Balboa’s gambling past.

Since setting it up, the Web site has had nearly 4,000 hits from all over

the world. Fournier, 60, said people from countries including: Austria,

Canada, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and even South Africa have visited the

site.

Fournier’s own love affair with the community began when he moved to

Balboa 22 years ago. Growing up, the Chicago native was taught about the

importance of history.

“Chicagoans are extremely proud of their city and their heritage,” he

said. “History is so colorful and people are so colorful.”

At times, California’s lack of respect for its history has shocked

Fournier. He recalled one particularly sad instance in Los Angeles when a

“old, grand Victorian mansion” was demolished and replaced by a “concrete

monster.”

“It’s pitiful,” he said. “You’re losing part of your soul.”

Through his writings, book and Web site, Fournier hopes to show the

community just how important it is to maintain a sense of its heritage

and identity.

“I love this town,” Fournier said. “It’s a great place with a very rich

history.”