Surf sentinels have new view

Dave Brooks

With summer tourism quickly approaching, Surf City’s lifeguards now

have a permanent home just south of the Huntington Beach Pier.

The newly remodeled Vincent G. Moorhouse Lifeguard Headquarters

and the Marine Safety Education Center, home to the popular junior

lifeguard program, have officially opened their doors after months of

construction.

“We’re pleased with the fact that we have more space and it beats

the trailers” the lifeguards had been temporarily housed in during

construction, Marine Safety Lt. Mike Beuerlein said. “It is

definitely a source of pride for us.”

Both buildings are the hallmarks of the $12.3-million, 10-month

Phase 2 upgrade to the South Beach area, which also includes new

restroom facilities, improved beach trails, parking spaces and a

concession stand. Phase 1 of the project saw the construction of a

large South Beach area public parking lot.

The center is decorated by a series of contemporary pieces by

stone-mosaic artist Donna Billick. Next to the new lifeguard center,

Billick helped design Beach Play, a pebble mosaic built along an

access ramp that utilized small rocks in a colorful presentation of

sea images. Using thousands of polished pebbles from all over the

world, Billick traced out images of crabs, dolphins, sting rays and a

surfer girl. She also designed a 500-piece mosaic at the Marine

Safety Education Center using clay figurines painted and shaped by

members of the junior lifeguard program.

The new lifeguard station will house beach staff and the city’s

communication system, as well as first-aid stations and training

facilities. Residents can use the facility to purchase a beach

parking pass.

The facility is the second half of a complex financing deal used

to pay for beach improvements and the controversial Sports Complex

project in Huntington Beach.

The City Council approved a plan in August 2001 to borrow $32

million for both projects and to repay the loans with the money both

were anticipated to generate.

While the Sports Complex has been plagued with construction

problems and hasn’t met expectations, the beachside parking lot built

to pay for the lifeguard station has been a success, Community

Services Department Director Jim Engle said.

“We’ve actually exceeded our projection for parking revenue,” he

said.

The new lifeguard center is nearly 5,000 square feet larger and

now includes lockers for female lifeguards. The rebuild was motivated

partially by concerns about the structural integrity of the building

in the event of an earthquake.

In the future, the lifeguards plan to operate beach surveillance

cameras from the new station. Hollister Clothing Company has provided

the lifeguards with two surveillance monitors for special cameras

installed under the pier as part of a licensing agreement with the

city and the new facility has additional conduits to operate more

cameras in the future.

“That is something that will help us lifeguard a lot better,”

Beuerlein said.