Save Newport Real News in Newport Beach
For two years, the Blackball Working Group has been working to come up with a plan set to balance access between surfers, swimmers, body surfers, skimboarders, and boogieboarders. They have reviewed the Blackball policy at the Wedge, between 40th and 44th street, as well as weighed in on creating “hardboard-only” areas of the beach.
Back in April of this year, The Blackball Working Group recommended to reduce the blackball on 40th and 44th streets to 10am to 5pm, starting Memorial Day and ending Labor Day. Currently, this blackball is in effect from May 1 to Oct. 31, and was rumored to be *ahem*– asked for– by the late Judge Gardner, who had a house near the area and loved body surfing.
The working group also said that our Newport Lifeguards should have more control over when blackball is or is not in effect.
Blackball at the Wedge IS EXPECTED to be discussed, but only the distance from the Wedge. They are wanting to decrease the distance from the Wedge to include Cylinders so that surfers and other hardboard sports can enjoy the area even during the blackball on the Wedge itself.
The Study Session will be held Tuesday afternoon at 4pm, at City Hall (100 Civic Center Drive). If you have any opinion on any of these items, this is THE meeting to attend– so spread the word, surfers!
