The Coronado City Council voted on Aug. 20 to move forward with a renovation plan for the Public Library’s Winn Room – a project that will nearly double the meeting area’s size and cost $9.7 million. The Winn Room, located within the Coronado Public Library, is used for library and public events. It can be reserved ahead of time, and has historically been a venue used for concerts, film showings and committee meetings, among other events.
Since the Winn Room’s original construction in 1973, (just four years after the Coronado Bridge opened) it has received only minimal renovations, according to city staff.
Option four would more than double the room’s seating capacity from 135 to 208.
Council members Casey Tanaka and Mike Donovan voted against the motion. They were instead in favor of a less expansive and costly option.
Many of the residents attending the meeting spoke up in support of enlarging the space.
Option four
Currently, the Winn Room is at 1,680 square feet and a video screen at the front is only 35% visible from the back seats. Four remodel blueprints were presented in a City Council workshop on Dec. 12, ranging in cost from $3.28 million to $9.7 million. The first three proposals did not include an added foyer, optional deck space or 208-person seating capacity that option four does.
Option four will expand the Winn Room to a little under twice its current size, or 2,931 square feet. There would be a staggered ceiling, 20 feet at its highest point. The screen would be increased to 9 feet by 16 feet with 100% visibility from throughout the room.
It’s really been the center of so much of our community life. And, at the same time, it’s also not been touched substantively in quite some time.
City Manager Tina Friend
City Manager Tina Friend spoke of the Winn Room serves as a cultural and civic centerpoint of Coronado.
“It’s been called a ‘hub’ I think, like, five times just in today’s meeting alone,” she said, referring to public comments. “It’s really been the center of so much of our community life. And, at the same time, it’s also not been touched substantively in quite some time.”
The Winn Room has not gone through any major remodels in the last 50 years, but in 2020, it was decided that an architectural firm should be brought in to put together a plan to refurbish the room. Option four was created.
In 2021, the City Council was not convinced the Winn Room needed such a large renovation and therefore, established a subcommittee to assess the needs. The subcommittee is now made up of council members Tanaka and Carrie Anne Downey.
Tanaka and Downey came to the City in Dec. 2023 to present the four ideas and remodel options, and on Aug. 20, the options were finalized.
Possible removal of trees
Option four does result in the biggest changes, Tanaka said. It would mean expanding into the library park and taking away five trees, which include an Evergreen Coral, a Canary Island Pine and a Cajeput tree that are in that space. It also is the most expensive option.
The trees became a major focus of deliberations. Council members talked about relocating them to other parts of the city, but were unsure whether it would be feasible, or even a good option. The trees in question are between 50 and 80+ years old, according to Arturo Valdivia, Coronado’s parks and beaches supervisor.
“I definitely agree that the best option would be, that you start with new trees so that we increase the survivability,” Valdivia said. “Transplanting trees – there’s not a guarantee [they will survive].”
Downey raised concerns about the roots of the big trees surrounding the library and Winn Room. She said she finds herself tripping over them constantly and having trouble getting to her handicapped parking spot, especially at night as she said there were no lights to help her see.
I’m hoping, when we remodel this, we will truly make this handicap accessible in every possible way. Including better lighting, and by removing a few of the trees, maybe make it easier to really use the grounds.
Council member Carrie Anne Downey
“I’m hoping, when we remodel this, we will truly make this handicap accessible in every possible way,” Downey said. “Including better lighting, and by removing a few of the trees, maybe make it easier to really use the grounds.”
Council member John Duncan agreed with Downey and also expressed concern that, on multiple occasions, a branch has fallen and crashed through a library window.
The motion
Mayor Richard Bailey initially favored option two which would only have increased the Winn Room’s ceiling height. He said a greater expansion could attract more musical performances and the Council should figure out if that is what they want from a bigger meeting room.
It was also brought up that there is the Coronado Performing Arts Center, which is used for concerts and other events related to the arts that the City pays the school district $370,000 a year for use of the facilities for different events.
“How could I tell a member of the public it makes sense to spend $10 million on option four, and continue to pay the school district $370,000 a year for access to the Performing Arts Center, which we as a city don’t use – don’t utilize to the full extent?” Bailey said.
However, Bailey ended up making the motion and voting for option four, including a provision to reevaluate the contract with the school district.
Tanaka and Donovan both wanted option three which would be a smaller renovation at $6.4 million.
“It doesn’t bring me any pleasure to say this, but I don’t believe option four fits in the Winn Room site appropriately,” Tanaka explained. “The reason I don’t think that is… there isn’t enough parking. There’s already so much going on in that part of town.”
Tanaka said most events in the Winn Room draw only 50 to 100 people, and increasing the capacity could bring problems to the neighborhood.
Donovan said the controversy had taken on a life of its own.
What I mean by that is, when the Winn Room was started, I don’t think this was envisioned. It was envisioned as a community space to be used, not a cultural arts center. What’s happened over time is that it’s gotten bigger and bigger…where do you end?
“What I mean by that is, when the Winn Room was started, I don’t think this was envisioned. It was envisioned as a community space to be used, not a cultural arts center,” Donovan said. “What’s happened over time is that it’s gotten bigger and bigger…where do you end?”
There are currently no project start or completion dates set yet.
