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Page 38
The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch
August 23, 2013
. . OCDC, Beach Patrol Seek New Downtown Headquarters
FROM PAGE 7 an efficient use of space due to headquarters being spread out over three separate buildings, Arbin said. OCBP uses every inch of each building between office and training space, repair and maintenance space and storage. The old OCPD office building that once held the Criminal Investigation Division on the first floor has been converted into OCBP’s gym, computer lab and even the old interrogation rooms have been converted into OCBP’s storage for records. There is also a conference room paired with the OCBP Public Information Coordinator’s Office that is mostly used for storage. The second floor is where OCBP dispatch is located and what once served as OCPD office space does the same for OCBP as Arbin’s office once was the chief of police’s office. The next building over behind the old District Court is where the original Ocean City Fire Station was located before being handed over to the OCPD. The first floor where the old OCPD garage was is also used as a garage by OCBP to store and maintain five wave runners, 12 ATVs and many paddle boards. The garage holds the only bathroom available to all 200-plus OCBP employees that contains a toilet, sink and one shower that is outdated and in need of significant repair. Next to the garage on the same floor is the OCBP’s radio room and
workshop area that is also used for storage. The second floor of the building is the old OCPD property room and barracks that now serves as OCBP storage and training space. The old OCPD showers stores hundreds of buoys, and what was once a bathroom provides a space to repair umbrellas. There are several different closets that also store hundreds of umbrellas and different equipment, such as binoculars and megaphones, plus shelves of clothing that is returned, cleaned and stored on an annual basis, such as swimsuits, T-shirts, shorts, sweat pants, sweatshirts and several different styles of hats. There is also dry and heated storage for First Aid supplies and sunscreen. In the attic of this building, clothing rods have been hung along the sides and center where all rain gear is hung and stored. During the offseason, the entire attic’s entire floor space is covered with other equipment. The final building is the old District Court, which both the OCBP and OCPD still utilize since the first floor serves as the police department’s bike storage and workshop. Most of the second floor is taken up by a large classroom/training room with rows of tables and chairs. Awards and group pictures of each year’s patrol dating back to 1971 are hung on the walls. The old judge’s quarters is where the OCBP stores CPR and First Aid training equipment, and there is also the Junior Beach Patrol office since the camp’s participants meet in the classroom in the morning and walk together down Dorchester Street to cross Baltimore Avenue and take their activities to the beach. The classroom/training room is also used by the community for public CPR and First Aid courses as well as where Marine Mammal Rescue training takes place. In the past, potential OCBP facilities were evaluated and have included private properties for sale and existing city property but OCPB desires to remain downtown for a number of reasons. Staff has recommended the new OCBP headquarters be constructed on three parcels recently purchased by the Ocean City Development Corporation (OCDC) between Talbot and Dorchester streets. The OCDC has developed temporary parking of 33 spaces there. The new headquarters has been proposed to be a 10,700-squarefoot facility comprised of office space, training areas, locker rooms and equipment storage that would house OCBP along with the OCPD bicycle storage and repair facility. The estimated cost is $2 million. Last week, OCDC President Bob Givarz submitted a letter of support for a new headquarters to be located in the downtown area. The letter
One of the many cracks in the exterior masonry walls of the Ocean City Beach Patrol headquarters on Dorchester Street is pictured. File Photo
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stated, “when the OCPD vacated this building in 1993, one of the contributing factors for them to leave was the condition of the building. The building has not gotten better over the past 20 years and probably gotten much worse. Interest rates are low for construction financing and expectations high for a new facility. Now is the time to act on a new building for Beach Patrol, rather than allow this important first rate Ocean City division to continue to operate in a subpar facility.” The letter furthered, “since the OCDC started in 2000 they have discussed assembling land on this block and attracting a redeveloper. The town of Ocean City and OCDC have purchased four properties to allow this to occur. We all knew the Beach Patrol facility needed to be relocated for this long term plan. Let’s make it happen now rather than still be discussing this project next decade.” According to Arbin, there are many benefits of keeping OCBP headquarters downtown, starting with the facility being surrounded by several buildings owned by OCDC that provides employee housing for both OCBP and OCPD. In the event of off-hours emergency, OCBP can access a large number of trained Surf Rescue Technicians (SRTs), or lifeguards, and quickly deploy them with readily available resources. One of the main reasons OCBP wishes to remain downtown is the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) station is located only a couple blocks away that provides the beach patrol with several advantages – quick access to floating dock to launch rescue watercraft, access to forward deployment of Maryland State Police helicopter, access to controlled deep water training basin, access to USCG vessel for Search and Rescue (SAR) missions and the closest access for retrieving personnel and victims recovered from ocean. Arbin added Dorchester Street gives the best access in the south end for emergency vehicles to enter and exit the beach quickly in emergency situations. Dorchester Street serves as an emergency outlet as a fire station is located practically across from the OCBP. Arbin concluded OCBP is one of the most visible Town of Ocean City departments it should be in a facility that is well maintained and visually pleasing. “We are the beach patrol. We are the largest ambassador of Ocean City and when people come to see our facility this is what they get. For the beach patrol being so important to the Town of Ocean City, you really want to have it as a showcase,” Arbin said.
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