Capo Beach Park To Reopen Memorial Day Weekend

Beleaguered Capistrano Beach Park is slowly resuscitating after a very difficult year. Late last fall, prolonged coastal erosion culminated with a disastrous storm season, severely damaging sea walls and parking lots, tearing a beautiful boardwalk from its footings and requiring the demolition of the basketball court and restrooms. OC Parks officials announced this week that preliminary "short term" enhancements are almost complete, and the Park will reopen for public use for the Memorial Day Weekend. Most parking spots will be available except for those set aside for erosion protection.

OC Public Works recently installed rip rap boulders and massive sand cubes along the shore line to protect what's left of the beach. The sand cubes were covered with sand, creating a wider, useable recreation area, which local residents are already enjoying.

While heavy surf conditions (a new "normal") are expected to eventually pull much of the sand away, OC Parks will continue to maintain the area. Residents and visitors should be able to enjoy the beach, with its interim improvements, until longer term revitalization is completed in spring of 2021. In addition to sand cubes and boulders, k-rails will be placed near the shoreline to prevent sand incursion and keep most of the sand on the "right" side of the parking lot.

Officials noted that damaged sidewalk sections, cracked and uplifted by wave action, will be removed and filled with sand for now.

Both residents and County officials are hopeful that a new walking path, perhaps made of more resilient wood, similar to the previous boardwalk, will form an essential part of the long term Master Plan. Damaged concrete trash cans and benches will be removed and 3 fire pits will be relocated and placed along the expanded south end of the beach. Wood fencing is currently being installed along the shoreline to indicate elevation changes, and rehabilitated and/or new trash cans and benches will be put in place. Existing concrete picnic tables will be installed on the remaining basketball court surface, which will likely be demolished as part of the Master Plan. Beachgoers will have access to a pair of port-a-potties which will be surrounded with lattice and locked nightly.

Residents are eagerly awaiting the public input sessions that will be an integral part of the Long Term Master Plan process, which is expected to be completed by Spring 2021. An official County Project Summary states that the focus of that plan is “resiliency, safety and accessibility.” All of those goals sound great to Capistrano Beach residents. Public input is welcome at www.ocparks.com/beaches/capist...

As promised, OC Parks has delivered an interim solution that, as one official had referred to earlier, is "not pretty; but you have a beach".

Locals have continued to use this beloved beach daily throughout its various stages. Despite the pain of restoration, including chain link fencing, heavy machinery and sand and cobble deposited sometimes a foot deep in the parking lot, Capo Beach Park is part of the fabric of this beautiful coastal community.

Kelly Figueroa, a local resident visiting the beach last night with her family, may have said it best. “This beach holds so many happy memories for me as a child. I’m excited that it will be reopened.” Then, with a glance over her shoulder at the heavy surf pummeling the coastline, she added, “I pray it lasts.”