Kylie Drunasky | Writer & Makenzie Drunasky | Writer
September 5, 2024
Once a beautiful underground seaside village, a place where locals could escape and seclude themselves from the irritating, constant presence of tourists, the Dana Point Harbor offered a private oasis for long-time residents. The serene marine life paired with the beloved small business-owned restaurants has since developed a charming, cohesive community, something that could not be recreated whatsoever. But now, this sacred, unique sanctuary of a town is undergoing significant change. Dangered by its developers, the small-scaled restaurants that call this harbor home now find themselves on the brink of the chopping block, facing the risk of eviction. Is the ejection of such cherished, iconic restaurants worth the great probability of losing such an authentic, genuine atmosphere that so many other cities dream of accomplishing?
As the construction begins to make its way along Dana Point’s coast, tension among SoCal locals continues to rise, and contrasting opinions have begun to form.
Graduate of San Clemente High School and employee at Harpoon Henry’s, Kayla Fisher, explains that the renovation of the harbor will “cause the rent to increase so smaller restaurants won’t be able to afford to stay,” which is the reason why the restaurant she’s working at and many others are forced to close down. Saying goodbye to these beloved restaurants means the loss of jobs for many and increased difficulty in finding new employment. The upgrade of Dana Point Harbor means an upgrade for more classy restaurants, demanding employees that will match that standard of quality. It can be tough for workers to transfer from such a laid-back atmosphere to stricter policies. 77-year-old Dan Brown was part of the first class that graduated from San Clemente High School. Living here his whole life, he wouldn’t want things to change describing it as “an old-time place.”
As expected, the development of contrasting opinions is inevitable. Countering the above, social teens find it impractical to downgrade such a modernizing change. Such comprehension exists that SoCal is in essential need of a makeover, or rather a complete transformation. The possible uprising of new and influential companies serves as a main attraction to hungry individuals. Current San Clemente student, sophomore Emily Saw, expresses her excitement for the harbor’s renovations through her extensive statements concerning the possible construction of a new Cheesecake Factory just minutes away from her house. She enunciates the fact that the new restaurant’s location “will be extremely closer than the Irvine Spectrum,” an additional shopping center she frequently visits. She further celebrates, “Now I will not have to spend as much gas money!”
As well as the various upcoming restaurants, the harbor continues to promise additional parking space and walking paths. Many impatient individuals will find this addition quite compelling, as it ensures a more efficient flow of traffic. Chris Drunasky, a hard-working man who calls San Clemente home, considers himself such an individual. His busy working schedule has drawn him away from making previous visits to the Dana Point Harbor. However, with the guarantee of the emplacement of a 3-level parking garage and a new pedestrian path connecting the harbor, Chris explains he is “engaged by the idea of the better flow of traffic” and is compelled to see what the Dana Point Harbor will hold in the near future.
Regardless of the outcome, it is clear that the reconstruction of the Dana Point Harbor will impact many, specifically those who call SoCal home. The summers to come will be much different with Dana Point Harbor’s new look!
I loved the way it was. It’s always been a small town and the feeling of small town life is always better. We’re too small of an area to begin with to try to bring “big city” feel and life style here. It’s sad. My parents moved here in 1972, came to CA in 1965, I moved here permanently in 2010. I’m sad to see our beautiful tri-cities of beaches become even more over populated.