KarinaSuffl

TheRecycledLand
LibertyStationthroughouttheyears

My grandpa was just waking up from a nap, so I decided to haveour interview in his
bed. It was very nostalgic laying next to him while I listen to his scratchy voice and thick
Tagalog accent.Iwastherein1977to1980,but nothingschangedeversincethen,saidmy
grandfather Roberto Canare.Hewasadrillinstructorinthe SanDiegoNavalTrainingCenter
(NTC) working on the parade grounds, saluting to other marines,oreventrainingtheminthe
areas that are now NTC Park accompanied by the residential area. What wasthe NTC has
beenpreservedandrenovatedforthepublicandbecameLibertyStation.
I find it interesting that Ive been attending school in LibertyStation for seven years,
yetImjustrealizinghowmuchithaschangedsinceitwasaNavalbase.
The NTC wasntconstructeduntil1921when142 acresandanadditional135acresof
land was donated by the San Diegos Chamber of Commerce. By 1923 the first recruits
arrived and a San Diego military history had begun. Over the next 15 years the Navy
expanded the size of the campus and thenumberofbuildingstoeducatethe marinesashore
and afloat.In1944,thetrainingcenterbecameagroup commandandwasredesigned asthe
U.S. Naval TrainingCenter.Itcontinuedtomeetthenationsdefensiveneedsfromthe1950s
untiltheendoftheColdWar.
You know, if I remember correctly, your uncle Rene was part of the company
command that closed down the training base. notedmygrandpa.TheU.S.Navyannounced
the closing of NTC in 1993, under terms of the Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990.
After its closing the NTC became one of the several projects in California thatwereaimedto
preservehistoricmilitarysitesandstructuresandadaptthemforpublicuse.
On May 13, 1997 San Diego created a plan to redevelopNTC.The idea of housing
opportunities, the acquisition of park and recreation facilities, thepreservation of historically
and architecturally significant building and landscaped areas, and the conversation of the
environmental habitat at thebase were sadly too pricey for the city to doalone. To renovate
the NTC, the San DiegoCityCouncildecidedtoholdacompetitiontodecide whowouldhelp
develop the new site. In June 1999, Corky McMillin Companies was chosen to develop the
NTCintosomethingmoreinteractiveforthepublic.
In 2000, Civic, Arts, anda CulturalCenter were rehabilitated by theNTC Foundation
that was created bythe CorkyMcMillin Companies, they were also responsible forrenaming
theNTCtoLibertyStation.
Over the next 7 years,housesandcondominiums,newoffice buildingsandHighTech
High Schools were constructed. My three other siblingsandIarecurrentlyattendingtheHigh
Tech High Schools. My family has been coming to Liberty Station ever since it was the NTC
and we will probablykeep coming hereuntilmy10monthold brothergraduateshighschool.
Most of time when my grandpa picks us up from school, he tells us what some of the
marketplaces use to be. TheCorvette Dinner use to be a club for the company command,

he explains to me and my siblings. Other buildings that werent turned into retailstores they
areeitherusedformuseums,openspaceortheyrejustleftalone.
I visited a building that was turnedintoaminimuseum aboutPointLomaandanopen
space for public use. The former barrack was called the NTC Command Center. The first
thing I saw was a door that lead to the backofthebuilding.Uponopeningthedoor,I founda
mini garden. I studied the various plants and flowers there, I spotted plaques honoring a
family or family member, a soldier or in some cases someone special. There was over 113
flowerbusheshonoringsomeone.
Where my grandpa once shouted as a drill instructor, I now eat my lunch, and where
injured recruits received medicalattention, I now go to school, and whererecruitsmarched,I
playsoccer.