Staff recommends City Council discuss the request made by Council Member Flynn to rename the Arthur "Art" L. Welch Community Center back to the National Guard Armory and provide staff with any direction, including whether to take no action, proceed with a renaming process, or refer the matter to the Parks and Recreation Commission for public input consistent with the process used in 2024
This item is being brought forward at the request of Council Member Flynn and to give City Council the opportunity to discuss renaming the Arthur "Art" L. Welch Community Center, located at 2041 West Nicolet Street, back to the National Guard Armory, the name historically associated with the building.
The Building and Its Military History
The facility was constructed and operated as a California Army National Guard armory at the northwest corner of 20th and Nicolet Streets. The City leased the property to the State/Army under a 99-year lease dated July 28, 1953 (as amended May 14, 1964) for $1 per year in annual rent, a term that would not have expired until July 27, 2052. In 2019, the City initiated early termination of the lease after the Army indicated it did not intend to renew, citing deferred maintenance, vandalism, and unauthorized use of the site. The lease terminated and the property reverted to full City ownership effective January 31, 2020, ending the building's active use as a National Guard facility after more than six decades.
City Policy for Naming Parks and Recreation Facilities (Resolution No. 1994-46)
On April 12, 1994, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 1994-46, "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Banning Establishing a Policy for the Naming of City Parks and Recreation Facilities." The resolution's recitals state that the City had no formal policy for the naming of parks and recreation facilities and that it is necessary for the City to periodically name such facilities. The resolution approved a Policy for Naming Parks and Recreation Facilities reflecting the following four criteria:
- In recognition of the geographic area in which the park or facility is located;
- In recognition of historical milestones;
- In honor of individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the community, county, state or nation; and
- In recognition of someone who has donated enough money to build the park or facility.
Resolution No. 1994-46 remains the City's adopted naming policy; the Banning Municipal Code does not contain provisions governing the naming of City facilities. The resolution identifies the acceptable bases for a facility name but is limited in scope. It does not prescribe a procedure for naming (such as Parks and Recreation Commission review, public notice, or an applications process), does not address the renaming of a facility that has already been named or removal of an honorific name, and does not rank the four criteria or give any one priority over another. Those decisions remain within the City Council's discretion.
The 2024 Renaming Process
Following the passing of former Mayor and longtime Council Member Arthur "Art" L. Welch on May 17, 2024, the City Council considered naming the facility in his honor. An initial motion considered on May 14, 2024, did not pass (2-3 vote), and the Council instead directed staff to refer the matter to the Parks and Recreation Commission to gather public and community input. On June 6, 2024, the Commission held a public meeting at which seven community members spoke in support of naming the facility after Mr. Welch, and the Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to the Council. On June 25, 2024, the City Council voted unanimously to name the facility the Arthur "Art" L. Welch Community Center, in recognition of Mr. Welch's twelve years of Council service (2002-2006 and 2012-2020), including two terms as Mayor (2003-2004 and 2018-2019), and his extensive volunteer service to the community, including with the Riverside Transit Agency, the San Gorgonio Pass Rotary Club, the Banning Chamber of Commerce, and the Sun Lakes Homeowners Association Master Board.
Current Status of the Facility
The building is currently the subject of an active, State-funded planning effort. In 2024, the City was awarded a Community Resilience Center (CRC) Project Development Grant of $1,070,000 from the California Strategic Growth Council (funded through the State's Cap and Trade program and General Fund) to plan the building's conversion into a year-round community center and climate resiliency/emergency operations center serving as an evacuation shelter in emergencies. In April 2025, the City entered into a professional services agreement with Richard Yen and Associates Architects and Planners, Inc. for Phase I planning, including facility assessment and community engagement; the Council amended that agreement's scope-of-work language on March 24, 2026 by Resolution No. 2026-53. Planning work, including a Community Engagement Plan and public outreach conducted under the current facility name, is scheduled to conclude by April 2027, and staff intends to apply for an implementation grant in the coming months.
Should the Council wish to proceed with renaming the facility, staff recommends the Council consider the following before providing direction:
- Public process and precedent. The 2024 naming decision followed a dedicated Parks and Recreation Commission public input process before returning to Council for a vote. To remain consistent with that precedent, the Council may wish to refer a proposed renaming to the Commission, or otherwise provide for public notice and comment, before taking final action.
- Interaction with the active grant and planning contract. The facility is referenced by its current name in the Strategic Growth Council grant documents, the Phase I planning contract with Richard Yen and Associates, and community engagement materials already produced. Staff has not yet confirmed whether a name change would require amendments to grant paperwork, revisions to in-progress design or wayfinding materials, or coordination with the Strategic Growth Council. Staff would complete this review before, or concurrent with, any Council-directed renaming.
Naming and renaming City facilities is a policy decision reserved to the City Council. The current name was adopted by Council action on June 25, 2024; consistent with that precedent, any change to the facility's name likewise requires Council direction and cannot be made administratively. Resolution No. 1994-46 establishes the criteria a facility name should reflect, but leaves the naming process and the selection among qualifying names to the Council.
This report is a discussion item only; no final action or irreversible commitment is required tonight. Bringing the matter forward now allows the Council to weigh the considerations above and provide clear direction to staff on whether, and how, to proceed.
There is no fiscal impact associated with this discussion item.