Retirement News : Seniors : Names considered for future Oceanside senior center

Names considered for future Oceanside senior center

Date Added: 11-08-2005

OCEANSIDE – "El Corazon Center" won support as a name for the city's second senior center yesterday, but the Senior Citizens Commission stopped short of submitting it as its choice.

The commission did vote unanimously, however, to seek a $3.5 million federal loan to help pay for the center, slated to be under construction next year.

Most commissioners were sure about one thing: They don't want the word "senior" in the name because baby boomers, the first of whom are just hitting age 59, don't want to be considered seniors.

"We're building a senior center, but we're not calling it a senior center," said James Spearman, the lone commissioner to speak against leaving the age definition out of the name. "It took me a long time to get to be a senior."

At first, Commissioner Richard Olson suggested "El Corazon Club."

Commissioner Margene Pyeatte liked the "Ed McCulloch Adult Center," after the late former commission chairman.

Commissioner Catherine Duff suggested "Ocean Sand," and Commissioner Jean Tweedie "Ocean Haven," but other commissioners said those names sounded like they belonged on a retirement home.

Joseph Barreras, the current chairman, offered "Maureen Fleming Center" after the longtime manager of the city's present senior center at the west end of town near Interstate 5, but others said they didn't want it to be named for an individual.

Then, most commissioners said they liked "El Corazon Center" after the new building's site near Oceanside Boulevard and Rancho del Oro Drive on the city's 465-acre El Corazon property in the center of town. "El Corazon" means "the heart" in Spanish.

But in the end, commissioners decided to take another month to think about the name. They already had delayed choosing a name last month, but now ask for feedback on "El Corazon Center" from senior communities.

The public also is being asked for its input. The deadline is Sept. 30 for all entries to be submitted to the Parks and Recreation Department, 300 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054.

City Council members will make the final choice. They also will vote on whether to submit the $3.5 million loan application to federal authorities.

It would be paid off from the city's Community Development Block Grant funds at 6 percent interest over 20 years, said Megan Crooks, administrative analyst with the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

Crooks said the city already has earmarked $2.5 million from several sources, including its capital-improvements fund, for the project, and the $3.5 million loan would complete the first-phase requirements.

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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/northcounty/20050810-9999-1mc10name.html