Steve Clippinger, of Integrated Sign Associates, left, watches as Town Council President Gretchen Newsom and County Supervisor Ron Roberts admire the new Ocean Beach sign.
By Matthew Wood
Meet the new Ocean Beach entryway sign, same as the old sign.
Well, not exactly.
After a long process of bringing in local artists and voting on new ideas for the sign, organizers decided to … stick with the same exact design.
OB Town Council President Gretchen Newsom unveiled the new sign Wednesday on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard just outside of Robb Field during a ceremony that included San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, current District 2 City Councilman Ed Harris, former Town Council President Jim Musgrove and Steve Clippinger, of Integrated Sign Associates. Clippinger made the actual sign.
Roberts secured the funding from the county for the sign, which cost around $7,000.
“He recognized that this was a true county landmark that needed to be replaced,” Newsom said. “He’s a friend of OB.”
From left, District 2 Councilman Ed Harris, former Town Council President Jim Musgrove, Steve Clippinger of Integrated Sign Associates, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and current Town Council President Gretchen Newsom pose in front of the new Ocean Beach sign.
While the design is the same, there are definite differences in the new version. Instead of wood, it is made of aluminum and high-density foam, which will hopefully solve the termite problem that plagued the last sign.
“The termites were holding it together,” Roberts said.
The new sign is also all white in the “Ocean Beach” lettering. That was how the original sign was when it went up in 1984. Around eight years ago, someone painted the “O” red, said Musgrove, who jokingly called it a “guerrilla act.”
“Part of the reason we kept it white is that you couldn’t see the ‘O’ when you would drive by at night,” he said. “It looked like ‘Cean Beach.'”
So now OBceans have a new way to greet guests and a refreshing reminder for when we are back in the neighborhood.
“This is OB’s sign. This is what signifies OB as you’re coming in here,” Harris said. “It’s not just a sign, it’s a landmark.”
Close up of new sign. (All photos by Matthew Wood)
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Gee, where were Faulconer and Lorie Zapf this time? Oh, that’s right, the election is over. There’s an indication of how much attention OB will get now.
Oh, they’ll give OB attention. Well, at least Stebbins and whatever kickbacks he’s floating the both of them
Thank you Mr. Roberts
Ron Roberts got the job done for the new OB sign. I wonder if he is going to come around now looking for our city honchos to endorse his grandiose scheme to run a tram from Balboa Park to downtown?