New Harbor Patrol facility underway
The new Harbor Patrol facility, which will be completed later this year.
“This is a facility that has been long overdue, and we are extremely excited about it,” said Dan Madrigal, chief of the Redondo Beach Fire Department, which oversees Harbor Patrol.
The new facility is a joint city and county project. Each has contributed $675,000 to its construction, and upon completion the Harbor Patrol building will also house the LA County Lifeguards local “Baywatch” patrol division.
“It will significantly improve the functionality of the services that the harbor patrol provides,” Madrigal said. “It will be more efficient and provide enhanced living quarters for the personnel that are assigned to that unit down there – and it really is a fantastic display of partnership between the County of Los Angeles and the city of Redondo Beach.”
Madrigal praised Supervisor Don Knabe, who obtained the county’s portion of the building’s cost, as well as his deputy, Redondo Mayor Mike Gin.
Gin said the new building is a key component of the city’s efforts to revitalize the harbor area.
“The harbor patrol facility is a critical resource for the economic and recreational engine that is King Harbor and the pier area, so we are thrilled to have this partnership with LA County, Supervisor Knabe, and the LA County lifeguards on the construction of this new facility,” the mayor said. “…I really think this is a critical component of harbor revitalization – whatever shape and scale that may take, there is no question there will always be a need for public safety out in King Harbor.”
The new facility will be roughly 4,000 sq. ft., as opposed to the roughly 300 sq. ft. trailer where harbor the five members of harbor patrol currently live, work, and sleep. Madrigal stressed, however, that the need of the new building was not comfort so much as improved public safety in the harbor.
“This by no means is a giant Taj Mahal,” he said. “This really, truly is a facility that will serve the purpose and needs of not only harbor patrol but the community. The city is mindful of spending on projects, bearing in mind the tough economic times and that many other projects need to be done. But this is very critical. We feel very fortunate we have been considered and approved for this construction, but here again, this is a public facility and it is for the people. It’s not for harbor patrol, it’s for the people.” ER