The longIntegers pulled up to computer city's only beach. The had to go through the toll booth to pay to get into the beach's paved parking lot. The toll cost $20 which was a lot of money but, worth it since the next nearest beach was 100 miles to the south.
The computer city beach was man made since the city was landlocked. It had been designed and built by a friend of Sid longIntegers father Ted Patrick in the 1950's.
It was decided by computer city's city council that if the city had a beach tourism would boom. So a plot of land was purchased and Ted design firm and building contracted to build the beach. A design was submitted to the council a month later in June 1953 and approved in October of that same year. The was heated debate with the nascent environmental movement because the environmentalists thought that the land should not be tampered with to make a beach. It will destroy habitat for birds and animals. After several heated council meeting and name calling the plan was narrowly approved and construction was slated to begin in May 1954.
Construction got off to a rocky start with a dump truck broke down on the first day of construction. Excavation took until January 1955. A huge lake was dug with sand on sides. It was not a traditional beech. It got the job done nonetheless. Sand was trucked in from out of state and a pipe line was run from the city aquifer to supply water for the artificial lake. Palm trees up and down the sand dunes along with other vegetation.
Construction was completed on January 28, 1956 and a lake filling party was planned for the next day. Any one who wanted to could attend. The day was cloudy with partial sun. The mayor Frank winch had the control to start the flow of water. A countdown of 3, 2, 1 hooray and then Frank turned the lever and wanter began to flow into the lake. The lake filled in about 24 hours so people filled in and out to watch it fill and get free food. It was a magical sight to see the water rushing into the lake. It was a day no one would forget.
The beach opened for business in February 1, 1956. The first weeks admission was free. After that admission was to be $5 dollars a hefty some in 1950's dollars. Sid remembered the story that sam told of the day that the lake was filled. Sam said that he took Sid to the event and even had the pictures to proved it but, Sid was to young to remember anything which saddened him. Sid had been to computer city's beach many many times over the years. In fact practically living at the beach as a teenager. He loved to surf during his teen years and spent all day during the summer surfing at the beach with his surfing buddies.
And now her Sid was back at the beach with his little family. It made his eyes tear up. He could not wait to teach Bud how to surf someday. He wanted to pass on his love of the ocean to his son so that his son would cherish and protect the earths water ways. Sid pulled his car up to the planet rocket into the parking space and felt a sudden feeling of sadness.
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