Lifeguard station redo draws questions

CLEARWATER - A building renovation at the lifeguard station in Clearwater will help keep you safer at the beach, but some city workers say a $20,000 portion of it will never be used.

Just beyond the sand at Clearwater Beach you'll find "Tower Zero." Soon, the rundown, yellow building will get a new look -- after a $400,000 upgrade.

"This building's getting a little bit older, and things really wear down here on the beach," according to J.P. Atherholt. Atherholt works with the Clearwater Beach Parks and Recreation Department.

He knows first-hand that the only people who use this two-story headquarters for lifeguards are the people in the staff photos lining the walls.

"It's pretty much just used by the able-bodied lifeguards," Atherholt said.

But what if someone less physically-able wants to come inside the city owned building? They'd have a tough time climbing to the top floor.

"We need to have a handicapped lift on the stairs so that the building is handicapped accessible," Atherholt explains.

A state mandate requires the renovation to include a wheelchair lift. That's a $20,000 amenity that may never be used in this locker room just for lifeguards.

"I don't think it'll get a lot of use but it's what the state is telling the city we have to do so it's what we're going to do. I think it will be used very rarely if not at all," according to Atherholt.

The expense is enough to pay a part-time lifeguard for the summer season. Budget cuts over the past reduced the lifeguard staff currently on the beach.

You could say that the renovations will be paid for by the people one parking spot at a time.

Meter fees will fund construction. Some drivers consider the price tag well worth it on principal for equal access... even if the lift is rarely used.

"I think it is a good idea to put in the ramps, just making it accessible no matter if you have legs to walk on or a wheelchair you're in," Rob Mackenzie says.

Renovations to Tower Zero are scheduled to begin in September. Developers hope to add a third floor to the building before the busy Spring Break season.