Funding Urged for an Ecology Museum

Stressing the importance of the “three Rs”--reduction, reuse and recycling--Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon proposed this week that the city allocate $100,000 toward the construction of an ecology museum in the northeast Valley.

A second motion by Alarcon asked for the release of $623,000 in previously allocated funds for the purchase of a 1 1/2-acre parcel at 12002 Osborne St. in Lake View Terrace near the site where Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in 1991. The land would be used for the proposed Northeast Valley Center, of which the environmental museum would be a part.

In the planning stages about a year, the Northeast Valley Center project includes a new branch library and perhaps a banquet room and retail stores, according to the councilman’s plans.

Alarcon’s motion, seconded by Councilman Joel Wachs, requests $100,000 for the environmental museum from the Lopez Canyon Landfill Community Amenities Trust Fund, which was established to benefit residents living near the Lake View Terrace trash dump. More than $3 million was previously allocated for construction of the library from the trust and from federal and municipal grants.

“It is hoped the center will provide a place where the area’s youth can further their education on the environment and develop a sense of pride and motivation to become advocates in protecting the environment,” Alarcon said in the motion.

Neighbors of the proposed museum reacted cautiously to Alarcon’s motion, saying they need to see specific plans before making up their minds on the project.

“We are very open to the concept of a museum and environmental issues are very important,” said Sandy Hubbard, a member of the Lake View Terrace Improvement Assn. “But we’re going to take a close look at this. There are still a lot of questions at this point.”

The City Council will consider both motions during a special meeting beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Mission College in Sylmar.