ENCINITAS — Seven of the 13 memorial benches at Swami’s Beach that were removed on Nov. 17 have returned, after what the city said was routine maintenance and repairs.
City officials promised that the benches needing only minor repairs would be returned by Friday, Dec. 1, while the others would be returned at an unnamed later date. Most of the returned benches now have a divider in the center that was not there previously.
“The first group of benches have been refurbished and delivered to Swamis [sic] Beach Park. The remaining benches will be returned when the repairs are completed. Thank you for your patience as we maintain these benches,” Deputy Mayor Joy Lyndes posted on Facebook on Nov. 30.
Some residents thought the motivation behind the initial removal was to make it harder for unhoused people who frequent Swami’s to stay there.
Statements by Encinitas Mayor Tony Kranz to FOX 5 News on Nov. 20 also fed this theory, after he talked about the frequent congregation of unhoused people at the site and stated that the city was “going to take a look at how we can replace the benches in a way that accommodates people who are here to enjoy the scenery and not be a nuisance.”
Bench dividers like this have also been cited as a common example of “hostile architecture,” design choices in public spaces that stop unwanted behavior like sleeping, loitering and skateboarding.
This kind of architecture is deemed hostile because it is not essential to the function of the space, but can be unwelcoming for vulnerable populations like the unhoused. A bench with arms rests on either side— or none at all — would still provide a place to rest and look at the ocean at Swami’s, but a divider in the center prevents lying down.
When asked to what extent unhoused people sleeping on and using the benches at Swami’s contributed to the decision to remove the benches, the city shared the following statement:
“Swami’s is one of the city’s most visited beaches. Due to the number of visitors, the city must maintain and repair the amenities at this site including the benches. The city removed 13 memorial benches at Swami’s this past Friday due to needed maintenance and repairs. For the maintenance and repair of concrete memorial benches, our general maintenance contractor will power wash, reseal with an anti-graffiti coating, install/replace arm rests, and perform crack repairs. Staff will also evaluate the benches at this time to determine if any cracks or damage have caused the benches to reach the end of their service life.”
Parks Operation Manager David Norgard was unavailable for comment. The Coast News will provide updates to this coverage as they become available.
