A story we missed: Homeless clean and paint OB Lifeguard Tower

Lifeguard station, built circa 1965 ?

There was a story about the homeless and Ocean Beach that we missed last month.  Thanks to the Peninsula Beacon, the word got out, however.

An article by Bianca Koch in their June 16th edition described how a handful of local homeless people, aided by an OB homeowner named “Eric”, gave a new coat of paint to the OB Lifeguard Station.

For five hours and using 17 gallons of paint, the crew who live mostly on the streets, primed and painted the station located at Abbott Street and Santa Monica.

The Lifeguard station – not only does it stand as a beacon and watch tower – itself suffers from the storms, the water, the salt, the winds, plus human-made graffiti and bird droppings.  Its outer layer had become pale and looked damaged.

Homeowner Eric helped get the ball rolling by his financial donation. And reporter Koch mentions the others, the homeless: a young couple who have lived on the streets for 2 years, and there was Jeff, Brian, and “OB Tommy”.  OB Tommy said he had lived in OB for 46 years, and told the Beacon that he likes his town “spotless.”

These laboring individuals stepped up to the plate and gave back to the community. Thanks to all of you, to reporter Koch, “Eric” and the Beacon.

A former lawyer and current grassroots activist, I have been editing the Rag since Patty Jones and I launched it in Oct 2007. Way back during the Dinosaurs in 1970, I founded the original Ocean Beach People’s Rag - OB’s famous underground newspaper -, and then later during the early Eighties, published The Whole Damn Pie Shop, a progressive alternative to the Reader.

5 thoughts on “A story we missed: Homeless clean and paint OB Lifeguard Tower

  1. I have to comment on the picture, as we all know it’s not from 1965, but the story is a great one, thanks… :>)

  2. Right on. I recently made a derrogatory comment about the state of toilets in the men’s restroom at the lifeguard tower in OB, and a City worker pointed out that homeless persons have little role in wasting the toilets (my complaint).

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