City seeking open space grant

A grant application for $800,000 to purchase Laguna Beach property

for open space is on the agenda of the California Coastal Conservancy

meeting, set for 10 a.m., Thursday in Laguna Beach.

The grant of Proposition 12 funds would be used to purchase the

Wainwright property at Big Bend and the Trinity property at the end

of Canyon Acres Drive.

Supporters are urged to attend.

The Trust for Public Land, a national nonprofit conservation

organization, filed the application on behalf of the city and the

Laguna Canyon Foundation.

“If approved, the city would be the owner of record, but would

lease the parcels to the county for management,” said Scott Ferguson,

senior project manager for the trust. “The city, the trust, the

foundation and the county have been working for the past two years to

identify high priority acquisitions to complete the Laguna Coast

Wilderness Park.”

Proposition 12, passed by the voters in 2000, is the funding

source for the expansion of open space. The coastal conservancy is a

state agency under the resources department.

-- Barbara Diamond

Heisler Park workshop set for Saturday

A concept plan and alternatives for the renovation of Heisler Park

will be presented at workshop at 9 a.m., Saturday in the City Council

Chamber.

The plan will include landslide repairs at Rockpile and Picnic

beaches, erosion control, improved paths and handicapped access,

replacement of two rest rooms and reuse of the shuffleboard area. The

use of seawalls versus managed retreat of the bluff will be

discussed.

L.A. Studio developed the draft plan and the alternatives.

The public is invited and city staff will consider public comments

before presenting the concept plan to the City Council in May. Staff

is requesting that formal city commission or committee comments be

submitted on or before April 20.

Funds from the city will be combined with a grant from the

California Coastal Conservancy to develop the plan. The conservancy

is a state agency under the resources division.

-- Barbara Diamond

‘Music Man’ comes to Park Avenue

The Park Avenue Players at Laguna Beach High School will perform

“The Music Man” for the Spring Musical. The show will be the first

performance at the newly renovated Artists’ Theatre.

Performances are scheduled for March 25 through 28 and April 1

through 4. Shows will start at 7:30 p.m., except for the March 28 and

April 4 shows scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

The Artists’ Theatre is at 625 Park Ave. Tickets are available

from 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays at the Artists’ Theatre box office. Prices

are $15 for reserved seats, $10 for adults and $8 for students. For

information, call (949) 497-7769.

Jerry Quickly to speak to Peace Vigil group

The Laguna Beach Peace Vigil planning group has invited Jerry

Quickly, poet, activist, and host of KPFK’s 90.7 FM’s “Beneath the

Surface,” to speak about his experiences in Iraq at 7 p.m. on

Wednesday at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann’s

Drive. For information, call (949) 497-6725.

Surfrider Foundation meeting set

The Laguna Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation will meet at

7 p.m. Thursday in the third floor meeting room at Wells Fargo Bank,

260 Ocean Ave.

Supt. of Crystal Cove State Park Ken Kramer will be speak on the

State Park plan to convert the El Morro trailer park area into a

campground and day-use area. The meeting will also include a

discussion on Surfrider’s response to the Coastal Commission’s

approval of a seawall at Dana Strands beach. For more information,

contact Rick Wilson at (949) 492-8170 or laguna@surfrider.org.

Laguna Beach Historical Society to elect board

The Laguna Beach Historical Society will hold a general meeting to

elect a board of directors. Current board members are Gene Felder,

Anne Frank, J.J. Gasparotti, Willa Gupta, Karolee Hampton, Jane Janz,

Eric Jesson, Ed Perry, Nelda Stone and Georgina Valdez.

At the meeting, the Historical Society will discuss ideas to

communicate the history of Laguna Beach. The meeting will be held

from 3 to 5 p.m. March 28 at Gene Felder’s home, 2680 Park Ave.

Refreshments will be served. Anyone interested in joining the

Historical Society can mail $15 per household to 278 Ocean Ave.,

Laguna Beach, CA 92651.

Garden Club to host Laguna garden tour

The Laguna Beach Garden Club will host a tour of six North Laguna

Beach gardens. Tickets will cost $20, and an optional box lunch can

be purchased for $10. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

To order tickets, write to P.O. Box 362, Laguna Beach, CA 92652;

or, after April 1, to Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce, 357 Glenneyre

St. Laguna Beach, CA 92651. For more information, call (949)

494-4974.

Charm House Tour tickets are available

The Village Laguna Charm House Tour will feature five homes. The

tour will begin at noon May 16. Chartered Laguna Beach city trams

will leave continuously from the bus stop in front of the Festival of

Arts grounds, 650 Laguna Canyon Road.

Trams will circulate among the homes and return to the festival

area and serve the Act V parking lot throughout the day. The last

tram will depart at 3:30 p.m., and homes will close for viewing at

5:30 p.m. Trams will take participants to each home, but walking and

stair climbing will be required. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

The tour, which normally takes two to three hours, can be completed

at one’s own pace.

Tickets will cost $35 each in advance, and $40 the day of the

event. Tickets can be obtained by writing P.O. Box 1309, Laguna

Beach, CA 92652.

Tickets will be on sale starting in mid-late April at shops and

offices throughout town.