|
Title:
|
Temporary Re-establishment of the Culver City Gold Stars Mothers Rose Garden at the Senior Center located at 4095 Overland Avenue.
|
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council receive and file this report on the temporary re-
establishment of the Culver City Gold Stars Mother’s Rose Garden to the Culver City
Senior Center located at 4095 Overland Avenue.
BACKGROUND:
Shortly after World War I the Gold Star Mothers Club was formed in the United
States to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters in the war. The
name came from the custom of families of service-men and -women hanging a
banner called a Service Flag in the window of their homes. The Service Flag had a
star for each family member in the military. Living servicemen and women were
represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives were represented by a
gold star. Today, membership in the Gold Star Mothers is open to any American
woman who has lost a son or daughter in service to the United States. On the last
Sunday in September, Gold Star Mother's Day is observed in the U.S. in their honor.
(USC Title 36 Sec. 111).
Culver City has had a Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden (GSMRG) at the former
location of the Senior Center (at 4153 Overland Avenue, now the Teen Center). This
will be relocated (temporarily) to the current Culver City Senior Citizen Center
located at 4095 Overland Avenue until such time as construction and installation of
the Veterans Memorial Garden project is begun and the GSMRG is incorporated as
an element of that project.
Meeting Date: 01/14/08 Item Number: C-7
AGENDA ITEM: Temporary Re-establishment of the Culver City Gold Stars
Mothers Rose Garden at the Senior Center located at 4095 Overland Avenue.
Contact Person/Dept.: Bill La Pointe,
Parks, Recreation and Community
Services Director
Phone Number: (310) 253-6682
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: PRCS Master Notification List (01/09/08); Loni Anderson; William
McTaggart; (12/19/07).
Department Approval: Bill La Pointe,
Parks, Recreation and Community
Services Director (12/19/07).
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/08/08)
Fiscal Impact Review:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (01/08/08)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (01/09/08) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
For many years there was a Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden located in front of the
Culver City Senior Center when the Center was located at 4153 Overland Avenue.
Over the years the two Fichus trees in the garden grew to overarch and shadow the
garden and roses until the garden could no longer sustain sun-loving roses. (Roses
need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight in order to thrive. Also, in 2003, the new
Senior Center was opened at 4095 Overland Avenue. As a part of the original
landscaping plans for the new Senior Center, a rose garden was planted so that the
Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden could be relocated there. After the new Senior
Center was opened, the old Senior Center was remodeled and was reopened as the
new Teen Center.
In November 2003, the conceptual plans for Veterans Memorial Garden as
developed by the Veterans Affairs Committee (and consultant) went before City
Council and were approved as to concept. This allowed the Veterans Affairs
Committee to begin fund raising efforts on behalf of the project. The project also
included a place for the Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden. Due to this inclusion, the
Rose Garden was never placed at the new Senior Center.
Now, four (4) years later, and after consulting with and gaining the agreement of the
Veterans Affairs Committee through Mr. William McTaggart, its Chair (Attachment
1); the City, in concert with a PEP grant applicant, will be placing (temporarily) the
Culver City Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden at the location at the new Senior Center
where it was once planned to reside, until such time as the Veterans Memorial
Garden is constructed, where it is expected the Gold Star Mothers Rose Garden will
become an incorporated feature. Also, a letter of agreement and encouragement to
make this temporary placement has also been received by City Manager Jerry
Fulwood from Mr. John Higginson, President and CEO of Gold Star Manor
(Attachment 2).
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The PEP grant for this item is in the amount of $500. In addition to this amount, staff
time may be expended to assist the volunteers in the placement of the Rose
Garden. Sufficient funds for both the PEP grant and the staff time have been
appropriated as part of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department
adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2007-08.
City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Email of Agreement of the Veterans Affairs Committee Agreement through Mr.
William McTaggart, Chair.
2. Letter of Agreement and encouragement from Mr. John Higgenson
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Receive and file this report.