From Santa Cruz Sentinel
After months of location scouting and controversy, a statue of a female surfer has found its future home in Capitola’s Esplanade Park.
The statue, to be titled “Honoring the Women of the Water,” is intended to be a counterpart to the well-known and loved statue of a male surfer on West Cliff Drive.
Back in April, Santa Cruz County officials approved the installation of the new statue on East Cliff Drive. While many members of the public supported the idea, others voiced their opposition to the location, citing concerns about environmental impacts and large crowds that could cause problems on the bluffs.
By May, Lochhead and the rest of the team had begun talks with Capitola city officials, tentatively planning to place the statue in Esplanade Park. Thursday evening, the Capitola City Council unanimously approved the placement.
“I think this is the perfect spot for her, and for us women to be represented where we deserve it,” said Mayor Margaux Morgan during the City Council meeting Thursday.
The “Honoring the Women of the Water” statue will be worked on by a team that includes many of the same people who created the West Cliff surfer statue. That includes the original statue’s artists, Brian Curtis and Thomas Marsh, as well as Bob Pearson, a board shaper who will consult on the new statue’s surfboard. Other partners include Alison Hobbs, the lead designer of the project, Tom Ralston, who will work on the concrete design for the statue’s foundation, and Santa Cruz County Park Friends.