IRVINE : A Shady and Gull-Proof Lunch Area

Eating lunch at Mesa Verde School used to be a lesson in survival. With no cafeteria on the premises, students had to eat outdoors in what was sarcastically called “the lunch pit.”

During the summer, students at the year-round school had to eat their noontime meal in the hot sun. When it rained in the winter months, students ate their lunches in their classroom. And, regardless of the season, students often found themselves dodging bird droppings, courtesy of the sea gulls that frequent the area, looking for a handout.

But those days are over, thanks to a coalition of parents, teachers and community members who pitched in to raise $20,000 to build a shade structure over the school’s lunch tables.

On Friday, the coalition unveiled a tile wall next to the lunch area that bears the names of the individuals and organizations who donated money or time to the project.

The 150 tiles, hand-painted by Newport Beach-based artist Susana Sheid and sold for at least $100 each, were the major source of revenue for the project. “It’s just amazing what we were able to accomplish,” said Rosemary Muir, a parent who spearheaded the effort to get the structure built. “There was such an obvious need and everyone really pulled together to make things happen.”

The 40-by-20-foot structure was completed in September, much to the delight of the students.

“It makes a big difference,” said eighth-grader James Dolan. “If you didn’t have a cold drink during the summer, it was really tough.”

The structure, made of wood and concrete, was built by John Rickles, a Garden Grove man who did the work for the cost of the supplies. He was assisted by Irvine firefighter Jim Owen, whose 8-year-old son, Jimmy, attends the school.

Owen, 36, worked an average of 25 hours a week on the project for more than two months last summer. He said many areas of the structure were so intricate that he found himself frustrated at times.

“I wanted to strangle the person who designed it,” Owen said, laughing. “But it was worth it, because I think it is the uniqueness of the design that really makes this structure something special.”

School Principal Bruce Terry said he is happy that the school’s 575 students finally have it made in the shade.

“Well, the best part is that the sea gulls are at University Park now,” Terry joked. “This whole project has been a real unifying factor for our school.”