Back to a preserved future

May I reminisce for a moment, in order to make a larger point? As a

child, I remember driving to Newport Beach on Friday nights, after my

father, actor John Carradine, finished filming for the week. He was

then under contract to 20th Century Fox studios, and there was a

regularity to his life -- his weekends were free! He had bought a

wonderful, wood-hulled, two-masted, 65-foot schooner, the Bali. He

loved the sea and sailing on it. Most every weekend the family --

Dad, Mother, David and I -- would pack up, pile in another of dad’s

prized possessions, a Duisenberg convertible, and drive to Newport

Beach, where the Bali was moored in a slip near what is now

Marinapark. There were a few summer cottages on the island, no major

development, lots of sand and empty space.

Saturday mornings, we’d set sail for Catalina. Anchored at Avalon,

we’d spend until noon Sunday snorkeling and spear fishing, riding on

the glass-bottom boats, hiking the island, just having fun. Then,

Sunday afternoon, we’d set sail for the journey back to Newport.

Today’s world is, of course, much different in so many ways. In

Newport Beach, the sand dunes are gone, and the summer cottages have

been replaced with multimillion-dollar homes. There is active

commerce, and tourist activity is pretty much “24/7.” Progress and

change are inevitable, but they often come with a cost: the

disappearance of simplicity, moderation and tranquillity. But

reasonable controls and restraint are still possible, given a willing

citizenry and a responsible and responsive city government, city

mayor and City Council. I believe the issue of Marinapark is an

example of where restraint and moderation are called for.

Joan Irvine Smith, granddaughter of James Irvine -- who gave the

city of Newport Beach one mile of bay-front property along Coast

Highway between Bay Shores and the Arches for a public park and

dockage, in 1937 -- has written a new book, “A California Woman’s

Story,” in which she bemoans the development of her grandfather’s

gift of property to Newport Beach. That bequeathed property was

deed-restricted by the senior Irvine, for park and recreation

purposes only. It was not intended by James Irvine that the city of

Newport Beach should cede away his gift to commercial interests,

piece-meal, as the city has done in years since.

Now the community of Newport Beach is faced with another major and

controversial maneuver by city officials -- the leasing of a

remaining portion of undeveloped, city-owned, beach-front property to

a private developer, so he may construct a privately owned, 110-room

timeshare hotel on Marinapark. Yes, the city will derive a financial

gain from this venture. But the public will lose another -- one of

the last remaining public bay-front beach/parks in Newport Beach.

This measure, to save or develop Marinapark, will be on the ballot

Nov. 2 as Measure L. A “yes” vote will enable the developer to go

forward with the private hotel. A “no” vote will preserve the beach

and allow for an attractive park to be created, where the mobile

homes now exist.

Tom Billings, whose family has lived in Newport Beach, is

passionate about the issue. He and scores of community supporters and

volunteers have been spearheading an effort to educate the public,

placing “No on L” signs around Newport Beach, manning information

tables on the weekends at local businesses, markets and restaurants.

John Buttolph, also a Newport Beach resident, is running for City

Council. Buttolph agrees with Billings that the Marinapark area

should be preserved.

Those halcyon days of my childhood in Newport Beach will never be

restored. Time moves on. But is there not enough commercial

development -- hotels, restaurants, shops -- in Newport Beach and the

surrounding area? The city needs to withstand the financial lure of a

large commercial developer and preserve the little open space left.

Vote no on Measure L.

* BRUCE JOHN CARRADINE is a resident of Van Nuys.