Irvine Councilmember Melinda Liu’s Proposal to Establish a Library and Community Center in District 1 Receives Unanimous City Council Approval
IRVINE, CA — Irvine Councilmember Melinda Liu announces that the Irvine City Council unanimously approves her proposal to establish a permanent library and community center in Irvine’s District 1 at the Irvine City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 8th.
The approved motion directs the City Manager to engage in comprehensive analysis to identify available locations and options, including but not limited to, resources, timeline, fiscal impact, community input, and other relevant factors, for establishing a permanent City library and community center facility in District 1, and to return to the City Council with their findings within the next 120 days.
Further, direct the City Manager to prepare a City-wide analysis of the adequacy of the locations and suitability of libraries. The item was brought forward at the April 8, 2025, City Council meeting and received strong support from both residents and the Council with a 6-0 vote.
Currently, District 1 lacks a permanent library, forcing residents to travel outside the district to access other library facilities like Irvine Heritage Park or University Park Branch. Although the lease of the Katie Wheeler Library will allow the facility to remain for a couple more years as the County of Orange transfers library system responsibility to the City, promoting adequate accessibility is essential for students, parents, and the broader Irvine community. Libraries are not just educational spaces but bring forward community together with a common vision of ensuring the public good.
In addition, the lack of a public community center means residents have to rely on HOA private spaces or travel outside the district to attend educational programming, and public gatherings, especially for nearby IUSD and TUSD schools. Unlike private venues that can be expensive to use, ensuring a public community center within the district will allow for affordable, accessible, and flexible space for Irvine residents, especially for organizations, students, small businesses, older adults, and parents. The Northwood Aquatics Center is the only City-owned public facility in District 1, which means that the 50,000 residents are left without adequate options for community events and gatherings. These facility spaces represent the ability of the community to come together as one and be accessible to all.
“While I’m grateful for the recent extension of the Katie Wheeler Library lease, we know that its future beyond the next three years remains uncertain,” said Councilmember Liu. “Katie Wheeler Library proudly serves many Irvine and Tustin residents, but we must be proactive in securing a long-term library resource for District 1 residents should that facility eventually close.”
Councilmember Liu expressed her gratitude to her Council colleagues and the community for their overwhelming support of this vision for District 1. She looks forward to working with City staff and residents to move this project forward and create a lasting resource for current and future generations of Irvine residents.
