Battle only halfway over the hill

With a $10 million commitment from Newport Beach, putting together a plan to rebuild the Oasis Senior Center was half the battle for center supporters.

The other half will be the additional $10 million the center is expected to cost.

The preliminary design for the new center was unveiled this week.

New features include an exercise room and health station for blood pressure and other tests, a modern kitchen where Meals on Wheels trays can be assembled for delivery, and a better library.

The center’s library currently lacks a computer, and in terms of fitness equipment, “the only thing we have now is barbells,” said Evelyn Hart, president of the Friends of Oasis.

The Marguerite Avenue senior center is housed in a former school building that’s more than 50 years old and serves about 10,000 people each month, Hart said.

“We’ve just kind of run out of room,” she said.

The challenge will be raising the money, now that the building’s basic plans have been drafted and approved by the City Council.

The city spends about $330,000 a year to pay the 11 recreation workers who staff the center.

Hart said the city has pledged to spend $10 million of the estimated $20 million building cost. Officials hope to break ground for the rebuilt center in a year.

“We’re confident that the community supports our seniors enough that the other $10 million will come from the community,” Hart said.

There was discussion about closing the Corona del Mar branch library due to a circulation decline and instead offering some of its services at Oasis, but residents told the city they love their library and want to keep it open.

The council on Tuesday opted not to move the branch to the senior center, but no final decision was made about its future.

ALICIA ROBINSON may be reached at (714) 966-4626 or at alicia.robinson@latimes.com.