PierPride to Host Birthday Bash for SC Pier’s 95th Anniversary

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

The PierPride Foundation is gearing up to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the San Clemente Pier, a municipal structure that has been ingrained in the city’s identity since its construction in 1928.

PierPride, which formed in 2015 to complement the city’s maintenance of the pier with other improvements, will host its annual Yacht Rock Cruise on Thursday, May 18, featuring food and live entertainment.

Eileen Kawas, PierPride president, spoke about how special the pier is to San Clemente, given that it sees two million visitors annually.

“Everybody has a memory of the pier; everybody can tell you something momentous that happened in their life (there),” Kawas said. “It’s just incredible.”

Lori Donchak, PierPride co-founder and its current secretary, added that it is the “crown jewel” of San Clemente, with the Beach Trail and surrounding retail making the area more special.

“I think that it is a key destination in the city,” said Donchak. “It’s a place (where) the community comes together, whether it’s for fireworks, or Junior Lifeguards, or a marriage proposal.”

Adding to visitors’ experiences related to the pier is important to Kawas, as she realizes San Clemente has a special asset.

“Not every town gets to have a pier, and I think we’re very lucky that we have our own pier,” she said. “It’s upon all of us to make sure that that pier is here for future generations.”

After the flow of funding from California’s Redevelopment Agencies dried up with its dissolution in 2012, Donchak and Jim Nielsen, a fellow resident and active member of the community, had the idea of assisting the city with enhancing the visitor experience.

During PierPride’s existence, the organization has renovated the restrooms and Snack Shack, helped install new lighting to illuminate the American flag, and it annually hosts pier jumping events, to name a few highlights.

Currently, the nonprofit is looking to expand available bicycle parking at the base of the pier, according to Kawas.

“These are things that the community has asked for,” she said. “We’ve run questionnaires and surveys … 95% of the participants have said that in the last five years, they have seen an improvement in the pier.”

Donchak noted that over the years, PierPride has received support from stakeholders including the state, County of Orange, the city, local entities such as Rainbow Sandals, and individual donors.

Another larger project that could potentially materialize is building what is called the Pier Plaza, a reimag- ining of how the entrance to the area from Avenida Victoria used to look decades before.

“It’s basically creating a plaza at the base of the pier on the inland side … by the underpass,” Donchak said. “It’s a big project, and if we do it correctly, it’ll be ready for the (pier’s) 100th birthday. That’s the dream.”

Donchak added that the project is expected to be included in the city’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget discussions, for which the design and engineering would cost an estimated $150,000. Construction costs are yet to be determined.

For Kawas, her colleagues’ commitment to the community and the pier makes her job easier, and she finds working with them easy.

At the Yacht Rock Cruise, 100 guests will be treated to live music from the Bunch of Guys Band as they ride in a two-hour loop from the Dana Wharf to the San Clemente Pier and back.

Kawas called the annual event the most fun that PierPride sponsors, adding that the cruise provides a rare opportunity.

“Not many people get to take a look at the pier from the water,” she said. “Either you’re on the land or the shore, looking at the pier, or you’re on the pier itself. So, it’s a unique perspective.”

Donchak added her own positive take on the upcoming event.

“Cheers to the pier on its 95th birthday,” said Donchak. Information about the Yacht Rock Cruise and how to purchase tickets can be found at pierpride.org. SC

City Looking to Create Coastal Administrator Position

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

San Clemente city staff are moving ahead in the process of finding a coastal administrator who would be tasked with directly handling coastal issues and beach restoration efforts, as the topic of coastal erosion grows in relevance.

The City Council received an update on the matter on May 2, as staff was previously directed to include the role in the city’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget, as well as create a job description and competitive salary range.

Councilmember Victor Cabral and City Manager Andy Hall met last month with Jayme Timberlake, the City of Oceanside’s own coastal zone administrator, to learn about her position and how to integrate it into the city’s overall structure and function.

The Oceanside City Council created the role in December 2021, tasking the position with administering activities related to sand replenishment, coastal resiliency planning and more, and supporting the city’s efforts to protect coastal resources, in addition to a multitude of other responsibilities.

The annual salary range was listed between $96,684 and $129,564, according to the website californiacitynews.org, which lists available city and county jobs.

Cabral pointed out that he and Councilmember Mark Enmeier, who comprise the council’s Beach Subcommittee, had jointly recommended creating such a position.

“It’s an issue that I think, for years, has been neglected,” said Cabral. “I think that the model that’s used by the City of Oceanside and what we learned from that person is valuable.”

He added that he was part of another meeting with a representative from Imperial Beach, who proved helpful, and said he wanted to make a concerted effort to create, advertise and budget for San Clemente’s own coastal administrator.

“I wanted to let the public know that none of us … have forgotten about the importance of our beaches,” said Cabral.

Hall said staff is working on finalizing the job description and reminded the council that recruiting for a position