Fundraising off to the races for Newport Beach’s new junior lifeguards headquarters

The long-awaited headquarters for Newport Beach’s junior lifeguards program may soon arrive on the city’s shores with the unanimous approval of conceptual plans by the Newport Beach City Council.

On Tuesday night, the council voted 6-0, with Mayor Pro Tem Kevin Muldoon absent, to approve the conceptual plans for the $4.9 million project just south of Balboa Pier.

The conceptual plans expand upon previous plans introduced to elected officials in 2018 and, again, in April 2019. The initial estimated cost of a 4,100-square-foot building was $3.3 million, according to city staff. The new proposal is for an approximately 5,145-square-foot permanent facility in the A Street parking lot south of Balboa Pier.

Plans include a meeting room, secure interior and exterior storage spaces, locker rooms, a deck area and a public restroom. When not being occupied by the junior lifeguards program, it will be used by recreation and senior services department.

It will replace the program’s current 2,160-square-foot trailer that has no running water and is not connected to a sewer system. City staff said the program has been operating out of the trailer since its introduction in 1984.

The program is active from late June to early August, currently employs about 60 instructors and sees average enrollment of over 1,350 participants annually. Concerns about COVID-19 restrictions almost canceled the program last summer.

Current estimates place construction of the headquarters beginning in September 2022 with a projected completion in May 2023. But before the project can be realized, the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguard Foundation will need to raise about $1.7 million from donors.

As part of the actions taken, the City Council also approved a memorandum of understanding with the foundation to raise that amount and put forward a $2.05 million contribution from the general fund. The remaining $1.1 million will come out of an increase in the fees for the program. A $129 subsidy will be removed, bringing the fee for participation up to $856 per person starting next year.

Program backers have pushed for a new headquarters at least since 2011, but the project was deferred initially in 2017 due to pension costs and was deferred again last year when the city was adjusting its plans ahead of a projected $13.5 million budget shortfall.

Councilwoman Diane Dixon thanked community members in her comments Tuesday night, offering kudos to the Newport Beach Junior Lifeguards Foundation for fundraising to make the project happen as a public-private sector partnership.

Dixon and Councilwoman Joy Brenner raised concerns about the project’s proposed location due to the potential for flooding, but both agreed that the new design for the project is better.

Brenner also inquired if there could be design elements incorporated into the building to deter homeless individuals from using it.

Councilman Will O’Neill said prior to the vote that he was looking forward to seeing the donor wall and excited for the city to work together with the foundation on the project once it is approved.

“This is all good. This is one of those really, really good ones where the whole community came together — council, staff and everyone,” Mayor Brad Avery said.

“It’s just such an iconic program and it’s definitely part of our culture and I think in spite of the additional scope of the project,” Avery said. “I think ultimately it will be very good for our parks program and be another center in town that people can enjoy and be a part of.”

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