South Bay Leader

Long Beach, CA – The City of Long Beach today celebrated the official opening of the new Long Beach Junior Lifeguard facility. Located on East Ocean Boulevard and Claremont Place adjacent to the Claremont Launch Ramp, a ribbon cutting ceremony featured Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan and other City leaders.

“This new, state of the art facility will not only ensure our Long Beach Junior Lifeguards have the proper space to gain hands-on experience in public safety, but it will also offer year-round first aid assistance to anyone in need,” said Mayor Rex Richardson.

The popular Long Beach Junior Lifeguard program offers students ages nine to seventeen instruction in lifeguard rescue techniques, first aid, ocean sports, physical conditioning and marine ecology. The brand new 973-square-foot modular building will serve as the Junior Lifeguard Headquarters and provide a year-round first aid stingray response area with a treatment room. This modernized building also features a new foundation, new utilities, new bicycle racks by the pedestrian trail, and offices for the City’s lifeguards. The increase in space and improvements to this site will benefit the growing interest in the Junior Lifeguard program.  

“Our new Junior Lifeguard headquarters is an investment in public safety and an investment in our youth,” said Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan. “The junior lifeguard program has so much to offer youth interested in lifeguarding, public safety and local marine life.”

"This facility is another location where our community can receive the help it needs, while providing education and training to our junior lifeguards,” said Fire Chief Dennis Buchanan. “We are thankful to be part of a City that allows us to accomplish two goals in one facility."

The $2.8 million Junior Lifeguard Facility was fully funded by the City’s Tidelands program.

The Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Program began in 1971 with 63 participating youth. From the 90s to the early 2010s, the program averaged 200 to 300 participants and operated largely on word of mouth. Since partnering with Long Beach Unified School District and the City's Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine in 2014, the program has grown to average nearly one thousand participants annually with participating youth from all over Long Beach represented. The Junior Lifeguard program now serves as a City pathway program into careers in public safety.

The original facility was built in the 1930s and used as a lifeguard tower until the early 70s when the program began. The original building, measuring approximately 665-square feet, had no restrooms, offices or other amenities for program staff or participants. With the continued growing interest of the program coupled with outdated features and elements that do not conform to current City and building safety standards or operational needs, it was apparent that a new headquarters facility was needed. The original building will be demolished after the summer season.

More information about the Long Beach Junior Lifeguard Program is available at longbeachjgs.com. More information about the Junior Lifeguard Facility Rebuild Project is available on its webpage.

About the City of Long Beach  

Home to approximately 470,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly-rated school district, Long Beach Airport, the Port of Long Beach, as well as many award-winning City departments such as Health and Human Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Development Services; Public Works and more. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, 12 libraries, five golf courses, 169 parks, miles of beaches, marinas, bike paths and a Bike Share program.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov. Watch us on LBTV. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

About Long Beach Fire Department

The mission of the Long Beach Fire Department is to protect lives, property, and the environment, improving the quality of life and safety of the community and our visitors. For more information, please visit us at longbeach.gov/fire. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Public Works

The Long Beach Public Works Department strives to operate, preserve, and enhance the City's physical infrastructure and transportation systems. The Department provides a variety of community services including the repair, rehabilitation and general upkeep of City streets, trees, sidewalks, and City structures. Public Works also provides emergency support services throughout the City. Visit us at longbeach.gov/pw/, and follow us on Facebook,  Twitter and Instagram.

Original source can be found here.