REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. - After over a year of planning and construction, Rehoboth Beach has officially opened its new beach patrol station. The long-awaited project that includes enhanced facilities for lifeguards and public bathrooms, comes just in time for the summer season.
Originally estimated at $4.9 million when construction began in December 2023. However, officials said the total cost of construction ended up being $5,449,770, increasing after cited issues with the subsurface.
Despite the overrun, city officials say the building is a crucial and much-needed upgrade.
"The former beach patrol facility that was taken down, it had one toilet in it. This really not only serves the public, but the beach patrol's 78 seasonal staff that we have." said City Manager Taylour Tedder.
The station is fully ADA compliant and includes 96 lockers for staff, offering improved accessibility and capacity compared to the previous facility. Rehoboth Beach lifeguards say having this resource will only help ensure public safety.
"You're on the beach for eight hours, so you get to spend about a half an hour here, but it's home, and it's nice to have a home, and, it's public safety. It's going to help public safety, because I'm going to get the best guards that we can get and provide that." Jeff Giles, Rehoboth Beach Patrol Captain.
Giles says he expects staff to be able to start using the new facility during this Memorial Day Weekend.

