Another day, another wave pool announcement. This one is for Snug Harbor Surf Park, located in Orange County, California. The Newport Beach City Council voted Tuesday to approve plans for the embattled surf park project, which has met opposition from local golfers and airport officials.
Plans for Snug Harbor Surf Park boast two pools capable of accommodating up to 72 surfers with 25 different types of waves. The facility is slated to be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. As of yet, there is no information as to how much the facility will cost to visit.
To fit all of that, Costa Mesa-based company Back Bay Barrels will be removing 15 acres of the Newport Beach Golf Course, which includes a 38-bay driving range, pro shop, restaurant, and three golf holes. In response, Newport golfers showed up en masse to protest the park.
“There are more golfers than surfers and the beach is just down the street,” said Benny Hallock, chairman of a group called Save Newport Beach Golf Course. “This isn’t about a golf course, it’s about protecting the only affordable golf course in Newport Beach. It’s where veterans, retirees, children, and everyday people come together. Newport Beach Golf Course is more than open space — it’s our gathering place, our sanctuary, our beacon. We won’t stand by while it’s threatened.”
Meanwhile, the Land Use Commission for nearby John Wayne Airport recommended against the project in September. “Group recreational uses should be prohibited and the assemblages of people should be restricted due to the zone’s location relative to the runway centerline and moderate risk level of near-runway accidents,” read a commission staff report. Despite that, the city overrode the commission’s recommendation in favor of continuing the project.
Construction is expected to take about a year and a half.
