Gumaro Escarcega, CEO of MainStreet Oceanside, welcomed a packed house to the July Monthly Morning Meeting.
Escarcega announced there were two items passed out to the attendees. The first was the Oceanside Independence Parade program. He said he hoped everyone enjoyed watching the parade last Saturday. He has received great comments. This year, a new team at MSO planned and implemented the annual tradition, so MSO appreciates the positive feedback. There were 130 participants in the parade, and the streets were crowded along the mile-long route.
Referencing the program, Escarcega thanked the sponsors. Their support helps put the parade together. Former CEO, Rick Wright, was the Grand Marshal honoring his legacy and the great accomplishments he made while leading MainStreet Oceanside.
The second item was MSO’s 2023-2024 Annual Report which highlights the organization’s programming, budget, and impact on the Downtown district. MSO wants to highlight the successes generated from hard work and share that with the community and businesses to encourage more involvement and improvement of programming. Read the full report.
George Frances, President of Kiwanis Club Oceanside Pacific, spoke about the volunteer work the organization performs.
The Kiwanis Club is a volunteer organization that provides community service focusing on children and youth. Projects for children include BUG (Bringing Up Grades) which helps grade school children bring up math and reading grades; Child ID records fingerprints and photos of children after age 7 when fingerprints become permanent; and Beach Fun Day provides excursions to the beach for special needs students.
Volunteer of the Month, Student of the Month, Family Adoption at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the Annual Terri Levarro High School Art Contest (winners with families pictured below) are more community service programs performed by the Oceanside Kiwanis club.
The Kiwanis Club Oceanside Pacific meets Wednesdays at 7:15 a.m. at the Broken Yolk in Oceanside. Anyone interested in volunteering is always welcome.
Jascha Wilson, the Premium Sales and Partnership Manager for Frontwave Arena, talked about entertainment scheduled to perform at the Frontwave Arena. Simone Biles and team will be the opening event on September 17.
The arena will be home to the San Diego Clippers, the San Diego Sockers, and another sports team to be announced later. The playing field can also be outfitted for ice to host Ice Capades. The arena will host about 7,500 people for sporting events and will offer suites and court-side seats for some events.
John Daley commented that Frontwave agreed a long time ago to host both Oceanside High School graduations at the arena, which allows everyone who wants to attend to do so comfortably.
Wilson reiterated Frontwave Arena’s commitment to community involvement is to be more than a sports venue but to bring concerts, comedy shows, and the like for community-wide enjoyment.
Audience concerns included traffic, parking, and eco-friendly amenities, as well as the inclusion of Oceanside history and arts and culture. Wilson committed to taking the concerns to the owners of the arena.
Victor Velasco, Principal Civil Engineer with the Development Services Department at the City of Oceanside, shared a presentation of the Coast Highway Corridor Project. Velasco is also the Project Manager for the Project.
Project improvements for the Coast Highway corridor include the intersections between Neptune Way and Oceanside Boulevard to create a more pedestrian-oriented redevelopment – be more welcoming of pedestrian traffic.
The project plan was adopted in 2009, but technical studies and community outreach didn’t begin until 2013. Oceanside City Council approved the plan in 2019, and plan designs began in 2023.
Planned improvements include roundabouts, reduced travel lanes, hardscape and landscape improvements, dedicated bike lanes, improved ADA access, and enhanced access to transit.
A bulb-out and rectangular flashing beacons will be at intersections without a roundabout. Bulb-outs are used to increase safety by reducing the time pedestrians spend crossing the street.
Velasco reported the bidding phase would begin in March 2025 with construction beginning in September 2025; however, there is no funding for the project currently. The City plans to search for funding through grants and from CALTRANS, SANDAG, etc, for the $20 million project.
View the complete presentation, which includes project timeline and contact information:
Coffee is provided by Pier View Coffee.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held on the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 a.m.
We welcome all parties interested in the progress of Downtown Oceanside, including businesspeople, residents, and City staff.
This informative one-hour meeting is held in an informal discussion format. The general public is always welcome! Come meet your city officials, MainStreet Oceanside staff, and members and find out about upcoming events and changes to YOUR downtown and city.
The MainStreet Morning Meeting is held at the MainStreet Oceanside meeting room at 701 Mission Avenue. Call our office for more information or directions at (760) 754-4512.
