I join Friends of 415, the Santa Monica Conservancy and other organizations in strongly supporting the proposal to open a one-of-a-kind public beach club and event facility for our community along Santa Monicas coast. This may be our last chance to rehabilitate the historic Marion Davies Estate at 415 PCH and re-open it as a crown jewel of public facilities.

City officials should do everything in their power to ensure that this unique proposal, made possible by a nearly $30 million gift to the community, becomes a reality. It would be a travesty to allow this project to be thwarted. Santa Monicas families, seniors, swimmers, volleyball players and other residents should be able to have the full use and enjoyment of the public beach club that the Annenberg Foundations generous grant makes possible.

I ask Santa Monica officials and other residents to join me in thanking the Annenberg Foundation for their visionary grant. Santa Monica should welcome such partnerships between the community and private foundations and do more to support this project and future ones like it.