BUENA PARK : Cultural Arts Center Wins City’s Support

The City Council this week approved a resolution in support of a cultural arts center that would be built by both the city and the Buena Park School District.

The school district proposed the project last fall as it began planning for a 10,000-square-foot student activities building at Buena Park Junior High School. The district approached the city to share in the funding of the project, which is expected to cost between $2.5 million and $3 million.

The city’s Redevelopment Agency and the City Council approved the resolution and committed $800,000 of the proceeds from the sale of another city-owned building.

The city is also expected to appropriate $20,000 at the next council meeting to pay for a feasibility study of the plan.

The study will seek to resolve questions about whether the building could function well for both the school district and the city, said Wes Morgan, the city’s director of recreation, parks and community services.

The architect will also look at design features that will serve both entities, such as the stage setup, lighting and seating; traffic circulation and parking; how the building fits into the overall campus layout, and its cost.

The study will be conducted through the summer.

“In the fall the city will see where it stands,” Morgan said.

If all goes well, the plan could end years of planning that the city’s Cultural Arts Foundation and other proponents of fine arts have undertaken in their quest for a single center to serve the city’s many needs.

The first fund-raising event for the cultural arts center will be May 13 at Knott’s Berry Farm, with a performance by pianist/comedian Victor Borge.