There were only a handful of people in attendance and probably fewer were aware when the Santa Cruz Port Commission voted 3-2 to remove the informal name “(Jack) O’Neill Building,” and replace it with “Santa Cruz Waterfront Building.”

We’re referring to the two-story structure on the beach next to the Crow’s Nest restaurant, which holds a rich history in the Santa Cruz Harbor.

As the two commissioners who voted no, we wanted you to know that a legacy of surfing and outdoor education is being diminished, with little public notice, knowledge or involvement. A motion to table the item to a later date to allow the community input was denied. Repeated attempts to include the O’Neill name were strongly opposed by the majority of commissioners.

The building we are talking about, at 2222 East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, was built and financed by Jack O’Neill, Harry Hind, and two other partners in 1965. Over the years it housed various businesses as well as those Jack was involved in such as O’Neill Yachts, O’Neill Dive Shop, O’Neill Surf Shop and ultimately the not-for-profit O’Neill Sea Odyssey. Over many decades O’Neill Sea Odyssey has provided ocean exploration, knowledge and ocean stewardship to over 100,000 less fortunate students who likely otherwise would not have this impactful opportunity otherwise.

The remaining partners Jack O’Neill and Harry Hind donated the building to O’Neill Sea Odyssey in 2000 with four years left on its lease with the Santa Cruz Port District. Through the balance of the 1960s and much of the 1970s, the building didn’t generate funds, to that point in time Jack O’Neill moved his company’s wetsuit manufacturing to the building to keep it economically viable for that business, and for the Santa Cruz Harbor.

In 2004, with financial support from donations obtained by O’Neill Sea Odyssey, the Santa Cruz Harbor renovated the building, with O’Neill Sea Odyssey taking the upstairs under a lease with the Santa Cruz Port District while the district took the downstairs. O’Neill Sea Odyssey paid nearly 50% of the building’s costs, mostly with donor funds, around $1.5 million.

The California Coastal Commission approved the renovation in part due to the presence of the O’Neill Sea Odyssey ocean science education program, and the Surfrider Foundation-Santa Cruz’ water quality lab, which are high priority uses under the California Coastal Act. As the building was renovated, O’Neill Sea Odyssey continued classes in a temporary facility on U.S. Coast Guard land on the harbor’s west side.

What bothers us is the fact that unless you regularly peruse Santa Cruz Port Commission agendas, you would not have known that such a consequential decision was about to be made. And, the commission majority refused to table the discussion in time to let the public know, so that they could participate. That would include people who have participated in O’Neill Sea Odyssey, including donors who supported not only the building renovation, but also those who support the free program year in and year out.

So, at its August meeting, the Port Commission majority voted to rename the building the “Santa Cruz Waterfront Building.” The commission did agree to preserve the history through publication. To access it, one will have to dig to find it. That will do little to acknowledge the structure’s legacy to those who will use it in the future.

Dennis (Denny) Smith and Darren Gertler are both members of the Santa Cruz Port Commission.