SYLMAR : Arts Council Fighting to Keep Gallery Open

Members of the Northeast Valley Arts Council are mounting a letter-writing campaign to keep the Century Gallery at Veterans Memorial Park in Sylmar from closing if budget cuts force the closure of 72 parks this summer.

Arts council President Mary Dahlsten said members want to convince county supervisors and other elected officials that losing the only public gallery in the northeast San Fernando Valley would leave no other place for rotating exhibits and student art programs.

“It would be such a terrible thing to let this go down the drain,” said Dahlsten of the gallery.

The Los Angeles Mission College leases a park building that houses the gallery, community services program and classes for art, theater arts, music and journalism.

The 20-member arts council is joining other Sylmar organizations protesting the proposed closure of Veterans Memorial Park and another area park, El Cariso.

The county Department of Parks and Recreation has proposed shutting parks if it is forced to slash its budget by 25% for fiscal year 1993-94.

Jeff Wheeler, operations manager for the department’s north region, said the department is entertaining proposals by cities or organizations to take over park maintenance by providing money or labor.

He said such proposals will be outlined during a May 20 informational meeting in Sylmar.

“If we see a great amount of support in one facility and receive help in maintaining it, we can look at that as a cost savings,” he said.

The gallery has been in operation since 1977.