Boat parade chairman resigns

June Casagrande

NEWPORT BEACH -- The chairman of the Christmas Boat Parade has

resigned amid a nasty flap over organizers’ decision to shorten the

parade route -- a move that has drawn outrage and even threats from

residents accustomed to watching the spectacular show from their

waterfront homes every year.

Brett Hemphill resigned from the volunteer post with the Newport

Harbor Christmas Boat Parade on Wednesday after several furious phone

calls and e-mails were finally outdone by a threat on his business.

“The guy on Wednesday was the last straw,” said Hemphill, owner of

Hemphill’s Rugs & Carpets in Costa Mesa. “We’re all a bunch of

volunteers, we don’t get paid, and some outsiders that probably aren’t

informed about the process are in an uproar and hammering on volunteers.

It’s a total lack of respect.”

Hemphill would not disclose details of the threats or the names of any

of the callers. Most of the complaints he has heard are from residents

along the West Lido Channel, mainly on Via Lido Soud and Lido Park Drive.

The channel is one of the areas scheduled to be cut from the parade route

beginning next year to make it easier for boaters to participate.

As of next year, the 93-year-old Newport Harbor tradition will be

reduced from seven days to five and will have about 22 minutes cut from

the total sailing time on the shortened route.

Organizers circulated a questionnaire to determine which spots could

be eliminated from the route with the least effect on businesses and

residents.

This year’s parade will take place from Dec. 17 until 23.

Via Lido Soud resident Ted Robinson learned recently that his home

would no longer be on the parade route.

“We weren’t too awfully happy about it,” said Robinson, who last week

wrote a letter to Hemphill and the Chamber of Commerce to protest. “They

eliminated about 200 residences from the parade route -- people who in

some years might want to participate in the parade who now, of course,

won’t. Their goal is to increase participation but this will do exactly

the opposite.”

Robinson, who has enjoyed the parade from his home since 1979, said he

has a petition of about 75 residents of one condominium complex in his

neighborhood that he plans to hand over to organizers, who include

representatives of the Newport Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce. He said

opposition may mount.

Chamber officials, including President Richard Luehrs, could not be

reached for comment.

Hemphill, however, said the change was popular with boaters who dress

up their private vessels to participate in the parade each year -- a task

that causes many to miss whole days of work for seven days in a row,

sometimes not getting home until 11 or 11:30 p.m.

“It’s been popular with the boaters,” Hemphill said. “There had to be

some compromise.”

-- June Casagrande covers Newport Beach. She may be reached at (949)

574-4232 or by e-mail at o7 june.casagrande@latimes.comf7 .