New England-Style ‘Village’ Is Rising at Dana Point

At the west end of Dana Point Harbor, on a man-made jut of land once envisioned as a strictly commercial enclave of shops and fish markets, a more idealistic project now is nearing completion.

At a cost of more than $1 million, the Orange County Environmental Management Agency is constructing buildings and docks with the look of an old New England village, where children and adults can learn to sail, splice and tie ropes and lines, study maritime lore, and have meetings or even garden-club tea parties.

“There have been some delays because of rainy weather,” said Kerry Sue Bartelt, supervising park ranger for the EMA, “so the original completion date of March 25 has been changed--to, probably, some time in April--and the estimated cost of $1.2 million might be a little higher.”

The three buildings, painted gray and trimmed in white, have sloping roofs, and one has an observation tower that overlooks the old square-rigged vessel, Pilgrim, anchored nearby. The buildings “are just about finished,” Bartelt said, but landscaping, some work on the new docks and paving remain to be done.

Spokesmen for the architects, Ballew and Associates, and planners Woodward Dike Inc. said the buildings will cover 10,000 square feet and will enclose boat-rigging lockers, a multipurpose meeting room with a stage and a kitchenette, display areas, classrooms, an observation deck, administrative offices, showers and changing rooms.

Paving will be adorned with a sailboat logo, and landscaping will include coral trees, hawthorne and turf grass.

The spot, known as the Youth and Group Facility, is being improved for a group of community service organizations, including the Girl Scout Council of Orange County, Saddleback Community College, Cal State Fullerton University, Capistrano Bay Yacht Club, the Laguna Beach Recreation Department and the Dana Point-based Nautical Heritage Museum.

Among those groups, Bartelt said, a fleet of sabots (8-foot sailboats for beginners), Lido 14s, and two 35-foot ocean-going sailboats will be available immediately.

Although the group members own different types of boats, they can be interchanged to meet different programs, she said.

In addition, other agencies such as recreation departments, schools or colleges, may become eligible for membership in the consortium.

The money for the project comes from the county’s Dana Point Harbor tideland revenues. Those revenues, which come from harbor shops, restaurants and marinas, must be reinvested in the harbor.