When did you first move to Peninsula Point? What are your some of your early memories of the peninsula?

David: Our family moved from Balboa Island to the peninsula in 1956 when I was nine. The property that my Dad bought and where we are now living came with a tennis court. Within days of moving in, everyone in the family was out hacking at tennis balls. A nearby house also had a tennis court and early on my dad talked to the family that owned that adjacent court about purchasing their tennis court. After my dad purchased the second tennis court, the PPRC was born. He enjoyed playing tennis with friends in the neighborhood and PPRC eventually grew to be the community center that you see today.

From the beginning, the club was a uniquely Beauchamp enterprise. My Mom managed the club while the rest of us labored at maintenance, but it was mostly a lot of fun. I remember great rivalries within the family and many heated matches with my brothers and sisters. There was an occasional bruised ego, but that’s competition!

That little club was a major element of my personal development. I had the benefit of being influenced by many of the smartest, most thoughtful and considerate people I’ve ever encountered in my life. It’s a joy to see so many of these people still enjoying PPRC and the friendships that start there. My fondest memories as youngster were of being able to jump in my skiff at the dock and sail around the bay and hang out with friends at L Street beach.

What are your early memories of your father’s extensive dental practice?

David: My father loved dentistry and worked 14 to 16 hours a day at his practice. After the family moved from Pasadena to Balboa Island, he would commute to his dental office in downtown Los Angeles. I would accompany him to his office occasionally and still have vivid memories of the unique dental office smells and the old office buildings of downtown Los Angeles of that era.

My dad became an advertising dentist, which was looked down upon by others in the profession at that time. To his credit he provided much needed services to people who had a difficult time receiving or affording dental care. As a result, my Dad was officially recognized by Mayor Tom Bradley for his contributions to people in need.

Your father’s practice grew to hundreds of locations. It must have been an education for you to witness your father as such a unique combination of dentist and entrepreneur.

David: Yes, he was an entrepreneur in the practice of dentistry and later in real estate. He worked 14 to 16 hours a day as a dentist. After the family moved from Pasadena to Balboa Island, he would commute to his dental office in downtown Los Angeles. He was not afraid to take risks in business. Early on he partnered with Charlie Hester, Art Swenson and Ed Warmington to form real estate ventures, some of which are still doing business today. He invested in a British airline, British Midlands Airways, which is still in operation. At one time he owned thousands of apartments in Southern California and Arizona.

Throughout it all he participated in all his businesses with gusto. I was lucky to have worked with my dad, growing his dental company known as Western Dental. By far, the best years of my working life were spent working daily with him. Not always smooth, but always loving. In business, he surrounded himself with family members and others he liked and trusted, and with this structure he achieved a lot. My dad was just a very cool guy!

How has PPRC changed over the years in light of the cyclical popularity of tennis?

David: It’s true that tennis went through a down period in the late 1980s through the mid 1990s. Some people switched to golf. Other Peninsula Point residents bought places in the Palm Springs area and traveled there during the weekends so they weren’t here to use the tennis club and activities at the club slowed during that time.

Several years ago, Bob Friend, a club member and longtime friend of my father, came to me and said he had just the guy who could turn things around. The interview with Kevin Forbes (the current club tennis pro) was one of the most difficult interviews in my life.

Kevin is so quiet that I almost had to answer the questions for him, but I knew he was right for PPRC and I hired him. He is very popular and has been a great fit for the club. Today the PPRC is thriving again with active daily play, individual and group lessons and two competitive women’s teams that play matches with other area clubs.

Do people still play cards in the afternoon at the club?

David: Yes. For decades, many ladies have met to play Bridge at the club.

Is PPRC open to new members?

David: Yes. We are primarily a Peninsula Point club but we also have welcomed members from nearby neighborhoods. Most are full time residents, but summer is a time to renew old friendships when members return from Arizona, New England, the Bay Area and other permanent residences.

Tell us about the move from China Cove back to the family home on Peninsula Point.

David: Tracy and I lived in Corona del Mar for over 30 years. We loved it over there. I still go to Corona del Mar three to four times a week to see friends and go to restaurants there. Seven years ago we decided to build a home in Corona del Mar that would be our home forever. We temporarily moved back to the family house on Peninsula Point after both of my parents died and while we were completing building in Corona del Mar. Once we got back to the peninsula we rediscovered the charm of this place and decided we wanted to stay.

I then approached my siblings and came to an agreement to purchase their portion of the family home. Corona del Mar seems faster and younger. The peninsula is older and slower. I’m older now, so it suits me just fine and we love it here among the friendly neighbors and relaxed pace of the peninsula.

The residents of Peninsula Point thoroughly enjoyed visiting your beautifully remodeled home at last years’ Philharmonic Event. Tell us about the recent remodel of your home and PPRC.

David: After we had come to an agreement to buy out my siblings, my wife, Tracy, and I had three different contractors telling us that we needed to level the old house and build a new house. The house was originally built in 1927. Parts of the electrical system didn’t work, some of the plumbing was broken and the house badly needed upgrading.

We finally decided to remodel the house using the same footprint of the old house. We gutted the old house and basically built a new house in the old exterior. We had unexpected issues with the California Coastal Commission and the city of Newport Beach. Ken Drellishak really helped get the ball rolling with the city.

When we looked at the PPRC, we originally focused upon the clubhouse as the likely focal point of improvement. On further inspection, we found that the poles that held up the fences were badly rusted and in need of replacement. So we focused on replacing the poles, the fences and the landscaping around the PPRC.

When we have the budget, we’ll tackle the clubhouse improvements at a future date.

How have you seen the Peninsula change over the years?

David: This might not be the answer you are expecting, but I don’t think that it has changed very much at all. Sure you can say that the physical structures have changed. But we still have many of the original, quaint beach cottages and the quality of the people hasn’t changed. People on the peninsula are just as genuine and wonderful as they have always been.

CFBPP’s broad mission includes improving the quality of life of residents of Peninsula Point. Do you have any thoughts about what new projects or initiatives you would like to see undertaken in this area?

David: I would like to see continued improvements in Balboa Village. It would be great to have the Balboa Theater for Performing Arts open. I would like to see a few fine dining restaurants in the Village, but if nothing changes, we should all appreciate living in the best place in the world.

We reported last year that BPPA and the City of Newport Beach had agreed on a concept for a small Tot Lot to be installed in a portion of the park at the corner of E. Balboa Blvd. and Miramar Drive. Since then, we at the Foundation (CFBPP) have been receiving donations for the project and we are hopeful that full funding will be available in the next few months. If so, we expect that construction can begin later this year. We are grateful to the Gary Jabara family for significant financial support and for help in arriving at a revised design that meets all of the Tot Lot essential requirements at a reduced cost.

The revised design still occupies only about 1/3 of the existing park area and includes all of the same key elements as before (muted equipment colors, attractive landscaping and Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant surfaces). It will be a lower profile installation among the existing trees meant specifically for local families with small children, and it will help to reinforce our continued commitment to encouraging a family-friendly environment for the nearby block of multi-family residential properties.

We at the Foundation and many neighbors are convinced that this will be a positive for the neighborhood, and that is why we have agreed to support fund-raising for it. We hope that all of our residents will appreciate what we are trying to do and also back the effort with your support – financial or otherwise. We are convinced that the positive benefits for the neighborhood more than outweigh the small loss of park area involved.

We are approaching the goal line! If you can provide financial support, it is important to do it now. Note Tot Lot on your donation to CFBPP, PO Box 4322, Balboa, CA 92661.

Last year we reported that CFBPP had raised and delivered to the city over $27,000.00 to partially fund installation of 24 new Guadalupe Palm trees on Main Street in Balboa Village between the ocean and the Pavilion. The project was the result of a collaborative effort between the city and generous donors led by Peninsula Point resident Cyndi Doran.

The trees are now well established and each has a distinctive brass plaque installed at the base to recognize the donors who contributed at least $1500.00 or more for each tree. Two examples of the plaques are shown below.

CFBPP wishes to thank and acknowledge the following 13 donors whose plaques are now installed for all to see at the base of their tree.

1. Donated by Harborside Restaurant & Grand Ballroom
2. In Memory of Caroline Wilson Bogert
3. In Memory of Peter M. Marechal
4. Donated by Steve and Jule Gainey
5. Donated by The Andrus Family
6. In Recognition of Carmel Williams
7. Donated by Shelby and Riley Herbst
8. Donated by Kimberly and Fletcher Jones Jr.
9. Donated for Hayden Walker Jones
10. Donated for Harrison Troy Jones
11. Donated for Avery Austin Jones
12. Donated by Community Foundation of Balboa Peninsula Point
13. Donated by Balboa Peninsula Point Association

We invite everyone to visit the area and witness the benefits of a collaborative effort with the city and generous charitable giving. Thanks again to all donors.

Thanks to Sam Aiello of BPPA for again developing and managing the Peninsula Point Summer Security Patrol Program, and thanks to all the donors who contributed to CFBPP to make it possible. Nordic Security Services returned this past year and they did a commendable job of maintaining security and discipline on Peninsula Point during the busy summer months. Balboa Peninsula Point continues to be one of the safest communities in the city of Newport Beach and our security patrol is a major factor in accomplishingthat objective. Continuous evening and early morning patrols cover all streets, alleys and beach/bay dead ends between A Street and the Wedge with stops as needed to move after-hours visitors from the beach and public piers and to disperse impromptu noisy street gatherings.

Feel free to stop and say “Hello” to the Nordic patrol officer, Keri, when you see her in the neighborhood and keep their phone number handy for reporting of any suspicious behavior in your area. Nordic provides regular incident reports that allow us to monitor trends that might need further attention. They work with the full knowledge and cooperation of NBPD and can communicate with NBPD immediately if the situation dictates. Thanks again to Sam Aiello and Nordic Security Services for keeping us safe and secure during the months of high visitation to our neighborhood.