Margate Mayor Michael Becker presents a proclamation to the Save Lucy Committee honoring its 50th year as caretaker of Lucy the Elephant. SLC President Davida Ross and her husband Martin Ross accept the award.
MARGATE – After several months negotiating to finalize a new lease, Lucy the Elephant can greet her 138th birthday on Saturday, July 20 knowing she has a permanent home – right where she’s lived for the last 50 years – in Josephine Harron Park on Decatur Avenue and the beach.
The Board of Commissioners approved the new 20-year lease at its meeting Thursday, July 18, four days after the Save Lucy Committee’s Board of Trustees approved it. The commissioners also presented a proclamation honoring the Save Lucy Committee, Inc., which is celebrating its 50th year as caretaker of the National Historic Landmark.
“It was a joint effort and a lot of work, but we all worked to accomplish what we set out to do – give Lucy a permanent home in Margate,” Save Lucy Committee President Davida Ross said.
Mayor Michael Becker said the process was long and arduous, and frustrating at times, considering all the “fake news” circulating in the community.
“It’s quite a good feeling to have it finally done,” Becker said. “It’s good for everyone, and good for Lucy.”
The 20-year lease, which takes effect on Aug. 1, includes a review every five years to renew the term for an additional five years, making it a perpetual 20-year lease. The SLC will pay $1 a year in rental payments.
Lucy the Elephant stands proud on Margate’s beachfront.
The SLC will maintain and repair the building, which has become an iconic symbol of Margate, and will be responsible for all operating costs for the elephant, gift shop and snack bar. The city will maintain exterior decks, which were recently replaced, walkways and landscaping. The city will also supply utilities, including water, sewer, electric and gas, for all areas except the snack bar, which will be metered separately.
The city will have the right to inspect the property to ensure it is being properly maintained, approve any modifications the SLC may request and review financial records and accounts annually.
Within the first six months of the lease, the SLC will present the city with a management plan detailing the committee’s goals and objectives for the next five years and update the plan every five years.
The lease can be terminated if the SLC defaults. The SLC also acknowledges that the city is the owner of the buildings and grounds, including Lucy the Elephant.
“The city will not sell, rent or lease the land to any other entity and represents the structure known as Lucy the Elephant will never be moved from the premises or be part of any real estate deal, development or transaction without the express written permission of the SLC,” the lease states.
The SLC will be required to amend its bylaws by Sept. 1 to allow the Board of Commissioners to appoint five members with full voting rights to the SLC’s 15-member Board of Trustees. Additionally, the trustee position of mayor will be eliminated as of Sept. 1, and the trustee position held by Executive Director Richard Helfant will be eliminated by Jan. 1, 2021, when his contract with the committee is due to expire.
Helfant told members of the Margate Homeowners Association on June 29 that he hopes to be reappointed.
“We have done a great job, not just me, but our staff and volunteers have done an amazing job of putting Lucy on the world stage,” he said. “I believe my position is safe.”
Lucy the Elephant will be going “Back to the Beginning” 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday as she celebrates her 138th birthday. Raindate is Sunday, July 21.
The party starts at 10 a.m. with trackless train rides, a carnival Midway, 9-hole mini-golf course, giant water slide, kiddie car bubble wash, bungee run and more. Evelyn Johnson, author of Lucy’s official bedtime story, will be on hand to sign copies of her book until 4 p.m. Local artist Jon Maker will be there until 3 p.m. to autograph his collection of Lucy artworks. Lucy will blow out the candles on her birthday cake at 3 p.m.
Tours of the giant pachyderm will be held every half-hour. Commemorative T-shirts marking Lucy’s birthday will be available for purchase. Revenue generated will help offset costs of keeping Lucy looking great and help with a planned capital improvement project that will strip Lucy of many layers of paint and give her a fresh coat.
To honor the founders of the Save Lucy Committee, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary, the Gift Shop will be selling commemorative coins for $19.69 (the year the committee was formed). Coins are also available for purchase on the Lucy the Elephant website, www.lucytheelephant.org.
Satellite parking is available at the Margate Police parking lot on Benson and Monmouth avenues. A free jitney shuttle will be running every 15 minutes until 8 p.m.
For more information, see lucytheelephant.org.
