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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4.5 Senior Center Ballroom NamingSTAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL Page 1 of 4 Agenda Item 4.5 DATE:May 18, 2021 TO:Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM:Linda Smith, City Manager SUBJECT:Senior Center Ballroom Naming Prepared by: Liz Elliott, Recreation Coordinator EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider selecting Alamilla Springs Ballroom as the name for the ballroom at the Dublin Senior Center. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Select Alamilla Springs Ballroom as the name for the ballroom at the Dublin Senior Center as recommended by the Parks and Community Services Commission. FINANCIAL IMPACT: None. DESCRIPTION: Background The City of Dublin Senior Center is located at 7600 Amador Valley Blvd, Dublin, CA 94568. Opened in 2005, the Senior Center houses an approximately 4,200-square-foot banquet/event space which is currently referred to as the “ballroom.” This space is used for a variety of programs and activities including the senior lunch program, enrichment classes, and private rentals. The naming of the ballroom is being considered to enhance the private rental program at the Dublin Senior Center, which could include events such as weddings, baby showers, and other functions. An example of a named event space is the Ambrose Hall at the Shannon Community Center. Often “Ambrose Hall” will be used as the namesake to remember the occasion and placed on invitations rather than “Shannon Community Center”. Having a more elegant or sophisticated name for the event space will allow for a broader reach of potential renters that might not otherwise want to host an event at the “Dublin Senior Center.” 512 Page 2 of 4 The naming of the ballroom will not result in any operational changes to programs at the Senior Center.The naming will be for the ballroom, or banquet hall only, not the entire facility. Ballroom Naming Process The process of naming of the ballroom is consistent with existing City facility naming policies. The first step is name generation by City Staff and members of the Senior Center Advisory Committee. Names generated should fall within the following criteria: The name should provide an easy and recognizable reference to the facility and be compatible to the area in which the facility is located. Naming based on a geographic location should reflect the well‐known geographic name of the area within which the facility is located, the street adjacent to the facility, or other acceptable identification with the consideration of specific place, neighborhood, subdivision, or well‐ confirmed cultural or historical significance. Naming based on a person or family should be done only for an individual (or family) that has had a clearly positive and significant impact or contribution to the City, State or Country. (This could include significant donors to the facility or previous property owners). Names should be avoided that would cause undue contention or concern. Naming should consider the names of other facilities (public or private) to not duplicate or utilize a name that could be readily confused by others, particularly those related to emergency response. The following names were generated by City Staff and members of the Senior Center Advisory Committee: Table 1: Potential Names for the Naming of the Senior Center Ballroom Name Criteria Alamilla Springs Ballroom Located in Dublin approximately 0.5 miles away from the Senior Center. The spring was a source of water for the early settlers and pioneers of the region. Crossroads Hall Dublin is the “Crossroads” of the Bay Area. Diane “Lowart Hall”The City’s first Parks and Community Services Director for almost 27 years, who presided over the construction of the Senior Center and its operations. Eddie Jo Mack Hall Active volunteer for the Center at both the Larkdale location and the new Senior Center; and former Dublin Senior Center Advisory Committee member. Marty & Ceil “Sirlin Hall”Active volunteers for the Center at both the Larkdale location and the new Senior Center. Both helped with the lunch program, led food distribution, and participated in many other activities with the goal of helping Dublin Seniors for over 19 years. Peter “Snyder Hall”First Mayor of Dublin 1982-86 and again 1990-94. Attended 513 Page 3 of 4 lunch, cultural events, and other activities at the Center. George “Zika Room/Hall”Active volunteer at the Center. Called Bingo and led other activities. Former Vice Mayor and Councilmember. Founding member of the Dublin Senior Foundation. Following the generation of names by Staff and members of the Senior Center Advisory Committee, a public survey was conducted. From February 22 to March 19, 2021, a survey was available via the City’s website and shared during different City programs. The online survey garnered 132 responses. The results of the survey are in the table below. Table 2: Public Survey Results Name Votes Crossroads Hall 41 Eddie Jo Mack Hall 33 Alamilla Springs Ballroom 21 Peter Snyder Hall 14 Marty & Ceil Sirlin Hall 10 Diane Lowart Hall 7 George Zika Hall/Room 6 The survey also provided an opportunity to submit suggestions not listed in the survey. A few names submitted include the Sbranti Hall, Amador Dougherty Station Ballroom, Shamrock Hall, and Clover Ballroom. No trends were present in the suggestions and at this time no other names are being presented for consideration. Parks and Community Services Commission Review Following discussion, the Parks and Community Services Commission recommended the adoption of Alamilla Springs Ballroom as their first choice. Two alternate names recommended for consideration were the Crossroads Ballroom and Eddie Jo Mack Ballroom. Although Alamilla Springs was not the highest scoring in the public survey, the Commission recommended this name as its first choice due to its historical significance, the proximity of the spring to the Senior Center, and how its elegance could be utilized for branding and promotion. The Commission appreciated the historical significance of the name Crossroads, and recommended this as its second choice, but raised concerns about the definition of the word “Crossroads” and how it could be interpreted negatively as “a point at which a crucial decision must be made” in reference to a wedding or other important event. Additionally, there are facilities with similar names that also reference Crossroads in the Bay Area. The Commission selected Eddie Jo Mack Ballroom as its third choice. The Commission was in consensus that Alamilla Springs Ballroom flows well, is relevant, and 514 Page 4 of 4 could elevate the status of the space. STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE: None. NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: The City Council Agenda was posted and a copy of the Staff Report was provided to those whose names were being considered. ATTACHMENTS: None. 515