Laguna breaks ground on lifeguard headquarters

City officials broke ground Wednesday on the new lifeguard headquarters, a project 10 years in the making.

In September, the lifeguards moved their offices and service areas to mobile units to Main Beach, according to a previous Coastline Pilot story. Public restrooms are now north of the basketball courts.

The new building will house marine safety operations on two levels, one of them underground.

Locker rooms, training, space for briefing, training and report writing, a small restroom and storage space will be located underground.

A first aid area, men’s and women’s locker rooms, offices, a dispatch area, generators and public restrooms will be on the top level.

Construction on the $6.6-million project, which includes public restrooms, is expected to be wrapped up by winter 2014.

Mayor Jane Egly, Marine Safety Chief Kevin Snow and City Manager John Pietig were on hand for the ceremony.

— Alisha Gomez

Twitter: @AGomezBerman