Thanks to community support for an event that holds a special place in many residents’ hearts, the Ocean Beach Kite Festival parade is back on.
As reported Feb. 22 by The Peninsula Beacon, the 59th annual festival sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Ocean Beach was scheduled to take place March 3 without the traditional parade due to concerns from the Ocean Beach MainStreet Association (OBMA) about the city’s plans to close the street for four hours and ticket and tow vehicles on Newport Avenue during that period. In past years, the city did not enforce extended closures or towing for the 15- to 20-minute parade.
According to OBMA Executive Director Denny Knox, the organization reluctantly voted not to offer a requisite letter of support for the event because of the undue expenses patrons and businesses would incur under the city’s plan.
According to James Lawson of District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer’s office, Knox had contacted Faulconer several weeks ago about the issue. The councilman was hopeful that all parties would find a compromise; however, last week’s news prompted Faulconer to schedule an impromptu meeting with representatives from the city’s special events department, OBMA and Kiwanis. He also spoke with Chief of Police William Lansdowne to find a solution to the predicament that would appease both the police department and San Diego Fire-Rescue.
“I understand that there are concerns sometimes about safety and traffic,” District 2 City Councilman Kevin Faulconer said. “But we really looked at this to say, ‘How can we make this work with the constraints that we have?'”
To save this year’s parade, all parties involved have agreed that Newport Avenue will remain open, but “No Parking” signs will be conspicuously posted. Once the parade begins, vehicles will be required to remain in place until the event concludes, said Lt. Dan Christman of the police department special events unit.
“We’re going to bring in some extra motor officers from the police department to really help ensure that we don’t have cars interacting with kids, obviously,” Faulconer said. “They’ll kind of follow the parade as it goes, leapfrog, if you will, and I think that is a solution that will work for this year.”
The additional officers will run up the bill for the event; however, Faulconer assured that Kiwanis would not be footing the costs alone. Both Faulconer’s office and OBMA have offered financial assistance.
According to Kiwanis Club President Melanie Nickel, the police department has not guaranteed it would not tow vehicles in order to reserve the right to do so under specific circumstances.
The Kiwanis Club is already eager to begin discussion for the anticipated expansion of next year’s 60th anniversary festival and parade, according to Nickel. She said Kiwanis is prepared to work closely with OBMA as well as the police department to include the parade in future years and keep all parties happy.
Currently, both the police and fire departments agree that changes will be necessary to realize a larger event next year, perhaps even changing the parade route to avoid patrons and businesses along Newport Avenue.
Nickel said Kiwanis would consider such a plan.
“Even though we’re a big city and we have obviously rules and regulations, and appropriately so, we can’t forget that it’s our individual neighborhoods that make us who we are,” Faulconer said.
The Kite Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at the Ocean Beach Rec Center, 4726 Santa Monica Blvd. The parade to the beach for kite-flying fun will begin at 2 p.m.
Kite-making materials as well as lunch are provided free of charge. Kites will be judged in seven categories based on age. Winners, to be announced just before the parade, will receive a $5 certificate for ice cream at the Point Loma Lighthouse.
For a complete schedule of events, call event organizer Marion Miller at (858) 274-2016 or visit the rec center’s Web site at www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/center/oceanb.shtml.