Facing a Monumental Task, 3 Years After Vandalism

With high hopes and great expectations, a new coastal city was formed in Orange County in January, 1989: Dana Point. Six months later, in July, 1989, city entrance monuments were installed on all major roadways leading into Dana Point and its Capistrano Beach and Monarch Beach districts.

Within a week, half of the monuments were destroyed by vandals. Today, almost three years later, deliberations regarding the replacement of the monuments are moving forward at a snail’s pace. A committee has been created and is charged with making recommendations to the City Council on design, cost, location and maintenance of new entrance monuments.

This, mind you, after the council had deliberated on this very same subject repeatedly in winter and spring of 1990!

In the budget for three fiscal years, the council has allocated funds (above and beyond the basic mandate for fire and police protection, road maintenance and traffic control) for, among other things, a free clinic in San Juan Capistrano and an orchestra in San Clemente.

However, the southbound motorist on Coast Highway will notice upon leaving Laguna Beach a green metal sign on the shoulder that announces Dana Point, population 28,000.

What he sees is a standard Caltrans city limit sign put up at the request of the city in November, 1990.

The sign is neither attractive nor welcomes the passing motorist. The population figure is out of date, and nowhere does it announce the name of the local community, Monarch Beach.

The city also requested and received installation of three additional Caltrans city signs that are on off-ramps and on-ramps of Interstate 5, where they fit in well with the general ambience of a freeway approach.

The green metal sign on Coast Highway provides a sad commentary on the disparity between expectations and stark reality.

INGRID McGUIRE

Monarch Beach