TITLE
Recommendation to consider naming the Center Theatre to be renamed the "Beverly O'Neill Theatre" in honor of her contributions to the City of Long Beach.
DISCUSSION
BACKGROUND
The Board of Directors for the International City Theatre (ICT) wish to change the name of the theatre to the "Beverly O'Neill Theatre" in honor of her many contributions to the civic, education, non-profit, arts and cultural communities of Long Beach. ICT is currently undergoing exterior construction, so the name change would be incorporated into the project.
DISCUSSION
Administrative Regulation memo (AR8-7) discusses the Policy and Procedures for the Naming of City-owned Land, Buildings, Facilities (attached). One particular guideline in the administrative policy states, "City-owned land, buildings and facilities will not normally be named after living persons unless the City Council deems it appropriate to take such action on the basis of a significant contribution, monetary or otherwise, which warrants a deviation from this policy guideline."
The Honorable Beverly O'Neill has spent a lifetime serving residents, organizations and institutions in Long Beach. She is a product of our Long Beach school system, starting in nursery school through California State University, Long Beach. She had a long and distinguished 31-year career in education as faculty member, administrator, and Superintendent-President of Long Beach City College. Beverly O'Neill is the only person to fulfill three terms as Mayor of the City of Long Beach and distinguished herself as the nation's only large city Mayor to be re-elected as a write-in candidate in her final term. During those mayoral terms, she led the city through arguably some of its most difficult years as the Navy closed its shipyard and aerospace was downsizing. She is credited with shepherding the city to better economic times and instilling a sense of self-confidence into our civic mindset.
Among her contributions to arts and culture,...
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