For the first time after decades of not being used, Dan Blocker Beach in Malibu has been opened to the public. The beach, which was named after actor Dan Blocker, star of Bonanza, also has a Dan Blocker Beach scenic viewpoint that overlooks it and was unveiled on Friday, November 14.
LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky reportedly rushed to finish the project before the end of his term after decades of being on the backburner. Dan Blocker Beach scenic viewpoint was completed just 17 days before Yaroslavsky was set to leave office.
“Public access to our coastline is about making sure that our beaches and our coastline are for everybody, and so this is a great day,” said Yaroslavsky at the dedication ceremony for Blocker.
Today @ZevYaroslavsky dedicated the new scenic overlook at Dan Blocker Beach in @CityMalibu https://t.co/kb0kE3ksAP pic.twitter.com/Ep9KFubBrK
— LA Beaches & Harbors (@lacdbh) November 15, 2014
Actors Michael Landon and Lorne Grenne reportedly bought the beach and named it after their co-star Blocker, who played the character of Hoss on Bonanza. Landon and Greene donated the beach, which runs one mile from Latigo Shore Drive east to Corral Canyon Road along Pacific Coast Highway, to the state in 1979. After purchasing adjacent pieces of land, the state apparently donated Dan Blocker Beach to the county in 1995.
Happy to dedicate new overlook at Dan Blocker Beach with @ZevYaroslavsky @Skylar_Peak and Blocker & Adamson families pic.twitter.com/8AmwObqEKO
— City of Malibu (@CityMalibu) November 14, 2014
Dan Blocker Beach remained an eyesore, however, as time passed without development. Tattered fencing reportedly kept out the public yet did not deter passersby from littering Dan Blocker Beach with trash. Yaroslavsky reportedly spearheaded the beach’s development in 2011 after receiving pressure from city officials.
“As a family, as a whole, we’re very honored,” said Blocker’s son, Dan Blocker. “We are so happy to have it for our kids, to say, ‘This is for your grandpa,’ instead of just a fence.” He also thanked fans from around the world who dedicated funds for a plaque for his father.
“It’s been a really long time coming. I think it’s just a wonderful place to stop, it’s a great view point,” said Carol Baker, spokesperson for Beaches and Harbors.