OCEAN BEACH — The clock is ticking for a wildly-popular parade float from Ocean Beach/Point Loma. Builders of the crowd-pleasing “Polar Express” — a mainstay of the annual Ocean Beach Christmas Parade — said the float is in jeopardy of being derailed permanently if a storage area for its realistic-looking parts cannot be found by Feb. 5. The “Polar Express,” a perennial entry in both the Ocean Beach and Coronado holiday parades, was built by a band of fathers on the Peninsula beginning in 2007, under the design and direction of Point Loma resident Bob Sherman. Dismantled and stored during the rest of the year following the parades, the parts to adorn the full-size replica steam engine are about to lose their current home, Sherman said. And unless someone is willing to step forward to a donate use of a garage or part of a warehouse measuring at least 10 feet by 12 feet, the costly building materials will have to be disposed of, Sherman said. Sherman and his friends have been putting in an estimated 300 man-hours annually to create the float using a 32-foot “class A” motorhome — which the builders are also in need of — as the frame on which to build the formidable parade entry. It is completed by an engineer’s cab, mock steam and a powerful light mounted in front. Sherman said the RV that had been used previously is no longer available, and he hopes a donor may step up to fund the purchase of a mechanically sound RV that could become the base for the float permanently. “There would be ongoing costs for storage, maintenance and insurance as well, so it’s a tall order to fill,” Sherman said. “However, it would be a wonderful Christmas tradition that could continue for many years to come. “I’m ready to do the work if we have the funds to make it possible,” he said. “It would be a great gift for someone to give to the community.” As a 2008 entry in the televised Holiday Bowl Parade, the “Polar Express” was awarded the People’s Choice Award. The float has also appeared in neighborhoods surrounding Plumosa Park and Garrison Street on Christmas Eve. Anyone willing to step forward with a source of storage, a source of funding or an RV to loan in future parades is urged to call (619) 847-1122, or to e-mail [email protected].
