Board Awards Funding for Eight New Environmental Projects

In just over a year, the Port of San Diego has approved 26 environmental projects for funding through its environmental fund. At the Aug. 7 Board of Port Commissioners meeting, a new slate of projects was awarded funding to help the Port in its quest to improve the health of San Diego Bay and the tidelands. Eight projects, ranging from shore-side cleanup events to understanding the impacts of contaminants on endangered species made the list. The selected projects underwent an intense review by the Port's Environmental Policy Committee before they were presented to the Board of Port Commissioners for recommendation. The Port will begin implementing the projects next month. Many of the previous environmental projects have been completed or are underway. A complete list of the projects can be found on the Port's Environmental Department homepage at the Port of San Diego website.

The non-profit organization Wildcoast was awarded $50,000 in funding to continue conservation efforts of the endangered Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtle.

Also in this issue…

Restoration of Wyland's "Ocean Riders" Sculpture and other Imperial Beach Art News

Port Harbor Police join other agency firefighters in fire suppression demonstration

Port completes former BF Goodrich South Campus demolition

Restoration of Wyland's "Ocean Riders" Sculpture and other Imperial Beach Art News

If you happen to be visiting the Imperial Beach oceanfront and you're wondering what happened to the Wyland "Ocean Riders" sculpture, don't worry, it is in good hands. The sculpture, which happens to be the very first public artwork acquired through the Port's Public Art Program, first started in 1996, is being refurbished by an art conservator. It should be returned and reinstalled by Sept. 7, 2007. While the artwork is being cleaned and restored, its base will be undergoing modifications on site.

"Ocean Riders" is a seven-foot tall, 1,500-pound cast bronze sculpture featuring three dolphins leaping from a wave. It has been a popular spot for visitors to take photos, with the Imperial Beach pier and the ocean in the background. However, many times eager beachgoers would climb onto the dolphins and the pedestal, which added additional wear and tear to the sculpture and was creating a safety hazard, particularly for young children. Work on the base will involve applying an additional layer of concrete that will have sloping sides that are designed to discourage climbing. The entire outer surface will be refinished in colored stucco to replicate the color and texture of the original pedestal.

"Ocean Riders" by the artist Wyland, was the Port's first public artwork after the establishment of the Public Art Program in 1996. It is undergoing refurbishment and will be reinstalled in early September.

The Port will be installing a bronze plaque in Imperial Beach that will designate an area or "sweet spot" for viewing the word "art" in John Banks' abstract sculpture, "Banner Art." This sculpture includes three 21-foot tall metal poles standing side-by-side. The tops of each pole are shaped in such a way that when viewed from a specific angle on the ground, the word "art" is spelled out. The special spot is on one of the corners at Imperial Beach Boulevard at Seacoast Drive. "Banner Art" was dedicated last November.

"Banner Art" by artist John Banks, is unique because you must stand at a specific location to see the sculpture spell out the word "art."

Port Harbor Police join other agency firefighters in fire suppression demonstration

What would happen if there was a catastrophic emergency in San Diego and traditional water sources were cut off? How would firefighters obtain a water source to fight fires associated with the catastrophe?

The San Diego Harbor Police and other agencies around the county have developed a plan that would allow them to share a military contract fire tug boat to draw water from San Diego Bay to assist in fire fighting. The plan, called a "Collaborative Fire Support Memorandum of Agreement," was approved and signed by the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Edison Chouest Offshore and the San Diego Harbor Police Department in October 2006.

As part of the agreement, the Harbor Police purchased a specially-made manifold that hooks up to a military contract fire tug. The fire tug then provides water from San Diego Bay to shore side fire trucks.

A training exercise and media event to demonstrate the collaboration between the participating agencies and how the firefighting equipment will work in an emergency situation will be held at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 4, at the Port's National City Marine Terminal. The event will be at Berth 24-1, which is located just behind the security gate at the terminal's entrance. I invite you to witness this important demonstration. Please call (619) 686-6466 if you are interested in attending. Parking is free and refreshments will be served.

Port completes former BF Goodrich South Campus demolition

Take a drive down Interstate 5 toward the City of Chula Vista and just as you get to the H Street exit, glance off to the west toward the waterfront. What you see, or don't see anymore, might surprise you. Gone are the 63 industrial buildings that made up the south campus of the former BF Goodrich. These buildings were vacant for years and blocked the views of the Bay and access to the waterfront.

The campus was once the home of BF Goodrich Aerostructures Group and became part of a 1999 relocation agreement between the Port of San Diego, Rohr Industries operating as BF Goodrich, the Redevelopment Agency of the City of Chula Vista and the City of Chula Vista. The agreement provided for a series of land transactions that delivered to the Port District a consolidated, 83-acre parcel of property with potential to develop.

The South Campus property had a combined gross building area of 878,000 square feet. The first phase of the demolition project began in September 2005 with the removal of 19 structures. The cost of that phase was $1 million. Phase Two began in April 2006 with the removal of 28 buildings for a cost of $0.7 million. Phase Three began in May 2007 and involved removing the final 15 buildings, plus taking out utilities and building foundations within the H Street corridor. The cost of that phase was $4.8 million.

Completion of this project frees up valuable land needed for the Chula Vista Bayfront Master Plan and paves the way for the upcoming extension of H Street, which will eventually be extended to the bayfront.

Equipment operated by former Port Commissioner Bill Hall and former City of Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla is used to demolish a building during the kickoff celebration for the South Campus demolition project on September 29, 2005.