Stocking the capsule

Jeff Benson

Few of us will be around to see the next Corona del Mar Centennial

Celebration, so residents and committee members are doing their part

now to ensure that the history of the city’s first 100 years is

well-preserved.

In a Sunday party at Big Corona del Mar State Beach, organizers

discussed plans for the city’s time capsule, which they hope future

generations will open and restock every 25 years, Centennial

Foundation spokesperson Peggy Fort said.

Historical documents, books and early photos on microfilm will be

among the items preserved, Fort said. The capsule will remain open

until Centennial Plaza is completed on the corner of East Coast

Highway and Marguerite Avenue, she said.

“We made a decision to show people the capsule but still get ideas

from the community as to what they want to see in it,” Fort said.

“We’ll be making that announcement when Centennial Plaza opens. We’ll

also be starting work on the plaza immediately after this event.”

The time capsule will be buried beneath Centennial Plaza, part of

Corona del Mar’s “Vision 2004” project, which will feature a

26-foot-high clock tower surrounded with foliage, sitting areas and a

3-foot-high “tile wall.” The plaza is expected to open during the

Newport Beach centennial celebration in 2006.

So far, the Corona del Mar Centennial Foundation has sold more

than 500 porcelain tiles for $100 apiece, helping to fund

construction, foundation board member Bill Dean said. Dean said he

expected the foundation to sell as many as 750 tiles before Nov. 15.

Color Me Mine art studio in Costa Mesa is helping people paint

their tiles, which have so far displayed primarily family names,

pets, rocky seashore and other beach scenes. These tiles will be

added to the tile wall with at least a dozen tiles showing historic

black-and-white Corona del Mar photography, Dean said.

Florence Fainbarg of Newport Beach said she bought a tile to paint

because she enjoys weekends in Corona del Mar and spends time there

on business.

“I might paint a bicycle on there in some way,” she said. “It’s a

really nice place to ride your bicycle, and I love Corona del Mar.”

The Centennial Foundation has raised $300,000 through private

donations, fundraising and sponsorships, Fort said, but about

$150,000 is still needed for the plaza’s completion.

“I’m excited it’s been such a huge success, and I’m happy to see

it all come together,” Fort said. “I’m sure we’ll reach our goal.”

Between Thursday and Sunday, thousands hit Big Corona del Mar

State Beach to eat free pancakes and burgers, to participate in

sandcastle contests and surfing tournaments, to check out 1920s and

1930s surfboards on display and to gawk at a fast-paced fireworks

show.

Fort said more than 400 shells were shot off in 20 minutes during

Saturday’s patriotic fireworks show over the Corona del Mar jetties.

“It was pretty incredible,” she said. “Everybody was like, ‘That’s

the best show I’ve ever seen,’ and people in other areas of the city

were able to watch them, too. But what I thought was really special

was that they were shot off over the water and we were standing so

close to them.”