Vulcan Ave. in Encinitas to become ‘Spock Block’

It was a logical decision.

The Encinitas City Council on March 18 unanimously approved establishing a “Spock Block” on Vulcan Avenue from March 26 to April 1.

Councilman Tony Kranz proposed the light-hearted agenda item to pay tribute to Leonard Nimoy, who was best known for portraying Mr. Spock in the “Star Trek” TV series and movie franchises. Nimoy died Feb. 27, and his 84th birthday would have been March 26.

“This would be an excellent opportunity to invite Trekkies everywhere to Encinitas to celebrate the life of Spock and enjoy our wonderful community,” Kranz said while donning Spock ears.

Spock was half-human and half-Vulcan, and because Encinitas has a Vulcan Avenue, that sparked the idea for a celebration, Kranz said.

He added that while the road isn’t named after Spock, it’s still a fitting place for such a designation. Many Leucadia streets, Vulcan Avenue included, are named after gods and goddesses in Roman and Greek mythology.

The designation will cover the Vulcan Avenue block that includes City Hall and the Encinitas Library. There, E Street is to the south, with D Street to the north.

To kick off Spock Block, Mayor Kristin Gaspar at 5 p.m. on March 26 will read a proclamation in a public ceremony at the lower parking lot on the corner of Vulcan Avenue and E Street.

Plus, the Encinitas Library and nearby businesses are expected to join in with their own festivities celebrating logic-driven Spock.

“Businesses would be encouraged to welcome Trekkies, as they’re known, to put on a pair of pointed ears and greet people with the Vulcan ‘V’ sign and the saying Spock made famous: ‘live long and prosper,’” Kranz wrote in the agenda report.

He also played a short YouTube compilation of Nimoy uttering one of Spock’s favorite words: fascinating.

Kranz said that while he grew up watching Star Trek and has great respect for Spock, he doesn’t consider himself a Trekkie.

Laughing, Gaspar begged to differ.

“Anyone wearing ears to a council meeting and anyone making this proposal, let me be the first to tell you, you are indeed a Trekkie,” Gaspar said.

Resident Kris Stewart, the lone public speaker on the agenda item, said Spock is “a real inspiration for geeks of the world.”

“I was so happy when I saw this on the agenda,” Stewart said. “I just had to come and say, oh boy I hope we do this.”

Councilman Mark Muir said that when his neighbors heard about the Spock Block proposal, they asked him if the council has more important things to address, like the budget or traffic plans.

“Yes, we do all those things, but we can also have fun,” Muir said. “And I think this is a great way of showing some fun.”