Park Commission Cool to Proposed Location of Gene Autry Museum

This time it wasn’t an outlaw, but the Los Angeles Recreation and Park Commission that ambushed former cowboy star Gene Autry--or at least his proposal to build a museum for western memorabilia across from Griffith Park.

Autry’s proposal received a cool reception Friday from the citizen-run commission, which put off a decision on whether to approve the museum until its March 1 meeting in order to get additional information.

Although none of the commissioners made a commitment on how they would vote on Autry’s museum, several voiced doubts about whether the museum belongs on city parkland.

Land Leased to Burbank

Autry, who was not present at Friday’s meeting, proposes to build by the end of next year a $2-million Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum on land owned by the City of Los Angeles. The land on the south side of the Ventura Freeway by the Buena Vista Street exit is leased to Burbank. It lies in the southwestern part of Burbank’s Buena Vista Park near the horse trails.

Among the memorabilia housed in the museum would be western art, boots and saddles of Autry and other cowboy stars.

Burbank has tentatively approved the plan. The last stumbling block to starting construction is approval of the Los Angeles Recreation and Park Commission, which, under the city charter, has final say over use of city parkland.

That approval, however, appeared far from certain at Friday’s meeting.

“My inclination is that this is the wrong thing to put in a city park,” Commissioner Mary Nichols said. She sought the delay in a vote by the commission and asked Burbank officials to see if they can find another site for the museum.

Disposition of Fees

Commissioner William Robertson also asked what would be done with money generated by the proposed admission fees of $4.95 for adults and $3.95 for children once the construction costs were paid off. Under Autry’s proposal, the museum would be run by a nonprofit foundation.

Burbank officials said they would get answers to the commission’s questions by the March meeting.

Judy Nelson of the citizen-run Griffith Park Advisory Committee also questioned the museum proposal.

“This site is a casual, pleasant slice of land, with its refreshing vista and easy access,” she said in a letter to the commission. “There seems a lot that’s special about maintaining it as such, and not very much special about having the museum there.”