To: PUBLIC AMENITIES COMMISSION
From: GARY MARGOLIS, CULTURAL ARTS MANAGER
TITLE
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RECEIVE AND FILE AN OVERVIEW OF THE FORMER HISTORICAL COMMISSION INCLUDING ACTIVE COMMITTEES
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BACKGROUND
The Cultural Arts Manager (Community Services Department) served as the liaison to the former Historical Commission (Commission). According to the Ordinance that established the Commission in 1967, the powers and duties of the body are as follows:
1. To investigate, maintain, and catalog all historical information, documents, records and pictures that would be of general interest to the city and its citizens
2. To compile records and recordings
3. To promote the keeping of a written historical record of the city in narrative form
4. To be an advisory body
5. To perform volunteer services at the Redondo Beach Historical Museum
During the early years of its existence, even before there existed a facility to display historical artifacts to the public, members of the Commission were actively engaged in collecting newspapers, photographs, books, signs, artifacts from defunct businesses, postcards, etc., and storing them temporarily in their homes, business and various city offices. The ones who were very knowledgeable about Redondo Beach history often volunteered to give slide presentations to the public on the City’s birthday and for other events.
After the establishment of a formal Historical Musuem in its current building and location, and with a collection of artifacts in one location, Commissioners transitioned the emphasis of their volunteerism away from collection management toward event planning. The consideration for this transition was now that the City has a filled museum building, it was more important to get the public to visit the museum than to continue collecting things. In recent years, Commissioners have helped with the planning and hosting of the City’s birthday celebration (on or near April 29) and a holiday celebration. These events are usually planned in partnership with members of the Redondo Beach Historical Society (a 501(c)(3) organization) which operates the Morrell House, the second historic property located in Heritage Court, a subsection of Dominguez Park.
A second major area of work for the Commission in recent years has been documenting repairs that needed to be made to both the historical building that houses the museum and to the furniture and decorative elements throughout Heritage Court and advocating for those improvements to City Council. Some Commissioners have even volunteered to paint and clean. Thanks to the work of the Commission this year, repairs and repainting have been completed for all the arbors in Heritage Court, and the fountain which was the centerpiece of the design for Heritage Court, but had been missing for two years, was replaced this past August. The Commission’s advocacy with City Council during the FY2023-24 budget process resulted in the acquisition of a new phone, WIFI, computer, copier/printer/scanner and 55” smart board. Unfortunately, the museum received no funding for painting or repairs in FY2024-25.
The new fountain in Heritage Court
In partnership with the Recreation and Parks Commission, the Commission has discussed ideas for the “Path of History” program, a series of informational markers located throughout the city, highlighting important events, people and places in the City’s history. Path of History was conceived and initiated by the Leadership Redondo Class of 2002. Other partnership projects in the early stages of development are the Ito Family Open-Space, commemorating an important Japanese-American family in Redondo Beach history and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II and “Walk Through History,” a series of signs installed throughout the walking paths in Dominguez Park that would serve as a timeline of key moments in Redondo Beach’s history.
At the time of its consolidation, the Commission had two subcommittees, but neither of them was actively engaged in any projects beyond those already described: the Visitor Experience Committee, with the mission to increase attendance at the Historical Museum through improvements to both the facility and the exhibits, and the Marketing Committee, with the mission to improve attendance at the Historical Museum through marketing and advocacy.
Finally, the museum struggles with keeping part-time docents to welcome visitors and give tours. Currently the museum is open three days a week: Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday from noon to 3 pm. Last August, the museum reopened after being closed for COVID and the death of its long-time part-time docent, Tike Kalivaras. Staff has worked continuously to attain and retain part-time staffing for the Museum, but as of October 2025 only one docent remains with limited availability. The City must now re-engage in the hiring process for new part-time staff and rely on the volunteerism of Commissioners or other community members to keep the museum open a minimum of nine hours per week.
Staff recommends that the newly formed Public Amenities Commission consider which activities it wishes to continue to advance and how its members can volunteer to help with those efforts outside of commission meetings.
ATTACHMENTS
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