Westminster City Council
SUBJECT
Title
Preliminary Assessment for a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center at Blakey Park.
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From: Christine Cordon, City Manager
Requested by: Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen
Prepared by*: Christine Cordon, City Manager
*Staff reports prepared by staff on behalf of members of the City Council do not reflect the opinions of staff and are generated in collaboration with the requesting council member(s).
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
Recommendation
Consider the request to move forward with preliminary assessment for a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center at Blakey Park and provide direction.
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BACKGROUND
At the March 12, 2025 City Council meeting, Mayor Chi Charlie Nguyen requested an item be placed on an upcoming agenda to discuss the feasibility of building a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center at Blakey Historical Park.
Since the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Westminster’s “Little Saigon” community has gradually developed into one of the largest Vietnamese populations in the United States. With over 40 percent of Westminster’s population comprised of Vietnamese residents, Westminster is widely considered as the “capital” of overseas Vietnamese people and the largest population of Vietnamese people per capita outside of Vietnam.
Incorporated in 1957, Westminster’s community has significantly changed from farmland to a bedroom community, and with Little Saigon’s increasing influence, Westminster has also become a cultural and historical destination. Historical preservation is crucial to creating and preserving a community’s story and identity, and it promotes community enrichment and understanding. With 50 years of Vietnamese influence intertwined in Westminster’s rich history, Mayor Nguyen would like to explore the possibilities for creating a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center at Blakey Historical Park to enrich the community and provide a space for intergenerational connections, enhancing the existing historical significance of Blakey Park.
At this time, there is no preliminary concept of a facility. Absent a feasibility study and assessment, no determination regarding what a project could look like can be made. If the Council wishes to move forward with a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center, staff would begin the process of an initial assessment, which would include retaining a consultant to assist with site evaluations.
Possibilities upon completion of an assessment could include augmenting the existing structures, building a new structure, or an alternative. However, due to the joint ownership of the Blakey Historical Park property between the City of Westminster and the Westminster Historical Society, the Historical Society must also support the efforts for a new component. At this time, given the extremely preliminary stages of this venture, the Westminster Historical Society has been made aware of the request, and a meeting between the City and Historical Society is pending.
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost for a consultant for the initial assessment is estimated to be between $5,000 and $10,000 and would be funded from Park Dedication Fund 200.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed as to form.
CONCLUSION
An initial assessment is a necessary first step toward evaluating the feasibility of a Vietnamese Cultural Community Center. If the Council moves forward, staff will contract a consultant and based on the results of the initial assessment and engagement with the Historical Society, an update will be presented to the City Council at a later time with potential direction and action requested.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
REVIEWED BY
Erin Backs, Finance Director
City Attorney’s Office
Christine Cordon, City Manager