El Morro — the end

EL MORRO VILLAGE ? The noise of crashing waves was the backdrop for the sounds of creaking metal and splintering wood as workers demolished beachfront trailers Thursday at the now-deserted El Morro Village.

The work began Tuesday, and by 5 p.m. Thursday 40 of the 72 units by the ocean had been wrecked and much of the debris removed. On the inland side of the park, which straddles Pacific Coast Highway, work is underway to remove about 125 remaining trailers, California State Parks spokesman Roy Stearns said.

The mobile home park, on an idyllic stretch of state-owned sand between Newport Coast and Laguna Beach, is being converted to a 60-space public campground expected to open in spring 2009. It is part of the 2,791-acre Crystal Cove State Park.

El Morro residents fought a lengthy court battle with the state to stay, but they finally reached a settlement and moved out in March.

The planned $10.4-million campground will have 60 spaces ? about half for RVs and half for tents ? and 200 parking spots for beachgoers on the inland side. The project also includes beach restoration and restroom facilities.

“It will cover a much smaller footprint than is there now,” Stearns said.

The remaining trailers looked forlorn Thursday, with bits of shattered glass clinging to the frames of patio screens and a torn scrap of a faded flag fluttering on a pole.

Two safety-suited workers could be seen removing asbestos from the roof of a trailer, and a crane chomped at the remains of a demolished unit.

Stearns expects the completed campground to be wildly popular, just as the newly-renovated cottages at Crystal Cove were. Reservations at the cottages and the rest of the state’s beach-front parks typically sell out the first day they open, sometimes within hours.

“I think when these come on line, it’ll be similar to Crystal Cove [cottages] because it’s the last place on the Southern California beach that we will probably ever again build a beach state park,” Stearns said. “All the other land is gone.”

Rising construction costs led state parks officials in 2005 to trim a lifeguard headquarters, interpretive center, additional restrooms and creek restoration from the El Morro project. Those items will be part of a second phase of work that is not yet funded.