Nature Center too precious to lose

For 28 years the Donald G. Shipley Nature Center in Huntington

Beach Central Park has afforded some 40,000 visitors a year the

opportunity to learn about and enjoy the wonders of nature. A vast

majority of those visitors each year are children -- children from

our own schools here in Surf City and those from cities where the

only animals many have seen are of the domesticated variety.

Some of the wildlife that can be found at the center includes

foxes, raccoons, king snakes and lizards. But the park is a renowned

birding area featuring more than 300 species, according to Park

Naturalist Dave Winkler.

Now, the city is considering cutting funding to the center and

closing its doors in light of the budget shortfall. It is by no means

the only the thing on City Administrator Ray Silver’s possible hit

list -- his list of potential ways to make the numbers work -- but we

think it is one program that not only should not be cut, but

shouldn’t have even been considered for the chopping block.

The 18-acre site that sits in the northwest corner of Central Park

is an invaluable asset to the community and an institution here in

Huntington Beach. To see it shut down would be a grave shame,

especially when so many dedicated volunteers have worked so

diligently this year to raise funds to restore it.

In December the center procured a grant of $10,000 from United

States Fish and Wildlife to begin repairs to portions of the site. In

January the Friends of the Nature Center began fund-raising for

improvements and almost immediately raised $11,000.

That shows a dedication on behalf of the volunteers and a

community desire to help, not even save, but restore the nature

center.

Rich Barnard, deputy city administrator said it costs $116,955 per

year to run the Shipley Nature Center. Perhaps that funding can be

trimmed back and supplemented by fund-raising, grants or a small fee

to go on tours.

Balancing the budget is a tough and messy business, we know, but

the loss of the Shipley Nature Center to accomplish that task would

be a detriment to the city.