2 weeks Ago By Jacob Smith
The City of Oceanside is gaining ground in the battle against beach erosion, securing a $1.8 million grant from the California Coastal Commission on Wednesday. This financial boost supports the city's growing endeavor to replenish its vanishing shores, a concern that has intensified over the past decade.
As part of this initiative, a design dubbed RE: BEACH Oceanside spearheads the charge, aiming for more than just a temporary fix. With these funds, baselines for the sandy comebacks will be established, forming the groundwork needed to steer future updates to the project's design. Spearheaded by Australian design firm ICM, in partnership with local engineers from GHD, the RE: BEACH project will see the construction of two artificial headlands and one offshore reef, complemented by a generous 900,000 cubic yards of sand, seeking to arm Oceanside's coastline against further erosion.
Unveiled information on the City of Oceanside's website points to an international design competition that preceded this development, one that harnessed global expertise in a collaborative dance with city residents to create a sustainable solution. "Oceanside is taking action to restore beaches now and for future generations," City Manager Jonathan Borrego passionately claimed in a statement that balances hope against the historical march of the sea laboring to reclaim its sands. He continued, "We are proud to be a leader among California’s coastal communities in identifying and implementing world-class solutions.
" The grant is more than a monetary gift; it is seen as an investment in preserving public access to these sandy spaces. Oceanside's Coastal Zone Administrator, Jayme Timberlake, pointed out the significance of the Coastal Commission's backing, saying, "This grant from the Coastal Commission is a critical step that brings us closer to realizing the ambition and vision of City residents." Timberlake's words, speaking to partnerships and progress, reflect an overarching strategy to uplift the city's coaster sector through the RE: BEACH effort.
The initiative aims not just to address current erosion but also to plan for future challenges that might come with shifting tides and patterns in coastal weather..
