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ITEM 7.H.
PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
MEMORANDUM
DATE: December 7, 2010
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: Jose E. Pulido, City Manager'
By: Cathy Burroughs, Director of Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION NO. 10-4715 SUPPORTING THE
FUNDING, DEVELOPMENT, AND OPERATION OF THE SAN GABRIEL
RIVER DISCOVERY CENTER
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Council is requested to adopt Resolution No. 10-4715 supporting the funding,
development, and operation of the San Gabriel River Discovery Center.
BACKGROUND:
1. At the Parks and Recreation Commission meeting of October 20, 2010, Vice -
Chairman Arrighi requested an item be added to the next agenda for the
Commission to consider recommending that the City Council adopt a resolution
in support of the San Gabriel River Discovery Center.
2. On November 17, 2010, the Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously
agreed to recommend that the City Council adopt a resolution supporting the
funding, development, and operation of the San Gabriel River Discovery Center.
ANALYSIS:
The San Gabriel River Discovery Center is being developed to provide a hands-on,
indoor and outdoor learning experience for local students, families, and nature
enthusiasts to learn the story of the San Gabriel River watershed. The Discovery
Center will present the story of the watershed, emphasize the importance of water
resources and the natural values of the watershed, and provide educational and
outdoor experiences for people of all ages. The future San Gabriel River Discovery
Center will be situated at Whittier Narrows and is being planned to complement the
existing Whittier Narrows Nature Center.
City Council
December 7, 2010
Page 2
The Discovery Center Authority, a Joint Powers Authority, was created in 2006 in order
to make the Center a reality. Its members are the San Gabriel and Lower Los Angeles
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, the Upper San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water
District, the Center Basin Municipal Water District and the Los Angeles County
Department of Parks and Recreation. The total estimated cost for the San Gabriel
River Discovery Center is about $20 million. To date over $9 million has been raised
for the project including grants from the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, the Upper
San Gabriel Municipal Water District, the Central Basin Municipal Water District, the
Sanitation Districts and Los Angeles County 1st District Supervisor Gloria Molina. In
addition, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers have donated land towards the project.
Several local cities and school districts have partnered with the Discovery Center
Authority including the cities of El Monte, Rosemead, Monterey Park, Maywood,
Industry, South El Monte and Whittier as well as the El Monte City School District, the
El Monte Union High School District, the Garvey School District, Hacienda La Puente
Unified School District and the Rio Hondo Community College District. The Parks and
Recreation Commission is recommending the City of Temple City become a partner by
adopting the attached resolution supporting the funding, development, and operation of
the San Gabriel River Discovery Center. Adoption of this resolution expresses the
City's support of the Center and does not require, nor commit, any financial support
from the City.
CONCLUSION:
The Parks and Recreation Commission has recommended that the City Council support
the funding, development, and operation of the San Gabriel River Discovery Center,
which will be located at the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, by adopting Resolution
No. 10-4715.
FISCAL IMPACT
This item does not have an impact on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010-11 City Budget.
ATTACHMENT
A. Resolution No. 10-4715
RESOLUTION NO. 10-4715
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TEMPLE
CITY, CALIFORNIA, SUPPORTING THE FUNDING, DEVELOPMENT,
AND OPERATION OF THE SAN GABRIEL RIVER DISCOVERY
CENTER
WHEREAS, California is facing challenges on many fronts, including enormous
population growth in the coming years, with 25 million new residents expected by 2040; and
WHEREAS, these challenges place enormous pressure on area water supplies and
outdoor recreational opportunities; and
WHEREAS, public education regarding these issues is a key element in understanding
their importance and ability to find solutions; and
WHEREAS, the San Gabriel River Discovery Center will provide a comprehensive
educational facility that will address issues associated with water supply and protection, nature
study and outdoor recreation, and the need for restoration of natural areas along the urban rivers;
and
WHEREAS, the San Gabriel River Discovery Center will provide direct access to trails
and outdoor recreational facilities at Whittier Narrows and the regional network of parks and trails
proposed for development by the Emerald Necklace Coalition; and
WHEREAS, these parks provide significant benefits to health and well-being, air quality
improvements, capturing and treating storm water, and maintaining cool, attractive city
landscapes; and
WHEREAS, the Discovery Center will serve a population of over 9 million people,
including 3 million school -age children, located within a 20 -mile radius; and
WHEREAS, the Discovery Center will be housed within a facility rated as platinum under
the U. S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating
system, and will promote sustainable building features, including energy and water efficiency in
its exhibits; and
WHEREAS, the Discovery Center will provide much needed meeting space and other
facilities not currently available in the immediate vicinity; and
WHEREAS, there are many potential sources of funding for the project including
Proposition 84, a $5.4 billion bond act recently passed by California voters, with a high plurality of
favorable votes from Los Angeles County, contains $100 million for nature education and
research facilities, ideally suited to the purpose of the San Gabriel River Discovery Center; and
WHEREAS, success of the Discovery Center is dependent on receipt of funding from
Proposition 84 and many other local, state, federal, and corporate funds;
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Temple City, California, hereby
resolves to support the fundraising, development and operation of the San Gabriel River
Discovery Center, and believes that its establishment will significantly improve the quality of life
for residents of our City.
PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED this 7`h day of December, 2010.
Mayor
I, City Clerk of the City of Temple City, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution,
Resolution No. 10-4715, was duly passed, approved and adopted at a regular meeting of the
City Council of the City of Temple City held on the 7`h day of December, 2010, by the
following vote:
AYES: Councilmember
NOES: Councilmember
ABSENT: Councilmember
ABSTAIN: Councilmember
City Clerk