Del Mar Community Connections hosts ribbon cutting for new multipurpose room

Del Mar residents gathered Aug. 25 for the unveiling of a revamped multipurpose room at the Del Mar Community Building on Ninth Street.

Del Mar Community Connections, a nonprofit that operates in the building, was awarded a Small Business Stimulus Grant and a Neighborhood Reinvestment Program Grant from the county. DMCC, which was established to serve the senior community in Del Mar, put the funding toward a redesign of the multipurpose room, which hosts various community meetings and events.

“We really made all of these changes to make it look much cleaner and fresher, but really the reason we made these changes is to make it more welcoming to people who are facing challenges from aging,” said Ashley Simpkins, executive director of Del Mar Community Connections.

The room now has furniture that can be moved and rearranged more easily to accommodate different types of events, a television that is more easily visible for the residents 62 and older who regularly use the facility, and surround sound to make it easier for seniors to hear.

“It’s exciting to have a good excuse to have everybody come and have a drink and see how focused we are on creating the community that uses this building,” Simpkins said. “It’s a really special facility and a special community.”

The ceremony included a champagne toast, cake cutting and a few short speeches.

“We have an incredible community here because it’s a collective effort,” said Cipriano Vargas, a community engagement manager for San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remmer.