OCEANSIDE — Demolition work began on Feb. 25 in the opening phase of the Civic Center Library’s courtyard improvements project, which includes a new performance stage, bench seating and a permanent shade structure.
As part of the project, which was approved as part of the city’s Capital Improvement Program, crews will break up the concrete floor and remove the courtyard fountain to replace it with a low-to-the-ground performance stage. The wall tiles will remain as part of the stage’s backdrop.
The stage will introduce a new feature to the library, which occasionally hosts theatrical and musical performances from local high school jazz bands or San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre.
“Sometimes performers or speakers would stand on the edge of the fountain, which inspired the idea for the stage,” said Library Division Manager Brad Penner.
The project also includes accessibility and drainage improvements to the inner courtyard and entryway, new bench seating made of engineered wood, native landscaping, and a permanent shade structure.
Penner said the improvements will help the courtyard serve as an outdoor meeting space for groups like the League of Women Voters, who meet in the adjacent community rooms, complete with a stage for organizers to demand attention.
“When we look at the courtyard, it’s not just a maintenance or improvement project; it serves as a platform, literally and figuratively, where the city can come together,” Penner said. “It’s an opportunity for not just cultural appreciation of arts and music but also a space for community dialogue.”
When not used for performances or meetings, the courtyard will be open to the public as a relaxing space.
“It’s like an oasis in the plaza,” Penner said.
The city hired architecture and planning firm M.W. Steele Group to design the project’s plans and prepare construction documents, spending approximately $230,000. Next, the city hired California Constructors under a $449,000 contract with a $200,000 contingency plan in case additional work is required.
Penner noted that there could be more concrete to repair than originally proposed, requiring tapping into the contingency funds.
“We may be able to finish construction under $500,000,” he added.
Victor Velasco, principal civil engineer with the city, noted that some additional work could include improvements to the front of the main library entrance as well.
Besides the stage and shade structure, Velasco said the biggest infrastructural issues the project will address are its ADA accessibility and drainage.
The Community Rooms, courtyard, and pedestrian walkway from Civic Center Drive, which serves as an ADA-accessible entry point to the library, are closed during construction. Velasco said visitors can still access the ramp that begins at the corner of Coast Highway and Civic Center Drive and leads to the main entrance facing the fountains.
“The library is still ADA accessible,” Velasco said.
Construction will take at least six weeks to complete, just in time for the library’s STEAM summer camp and summer lunch program, but Velasco said it could be delayed due to unexpected issues.
