Community rejects discovery center -- AGAIN

If you needed proof that the San Gabriel River Discovery Center is museo non grata in the Whittier Narrows area, yesterday's meeting on the project's draft EIR provided an avalanche of proof.

Of 20 people who spoke during the oral comment period, only two said they supported the project. (And there was some question whether one of those two had been a consultant on the discovery center during the previous fiscal year, which ended just a few weeks ago.)

The other comments ran a gamut that included:

• Concerns that taxes would be paying for the project
• Concerns that fees would be introduced
• Concerns about the impact on the habitat and wildlife
• Concerns about the accuracy and adequacy of the EIR

On that last point, for example, a bike trail from the river to the discovery center was mentioned in the project description, but wasn't included anywhere else in the EIR.

With so much opposition to the project, it can be hard to understand why the thing is like the Energizer Bunny. It just keeps going and going and going . . .

Actually, my favorite metaphor for the discovery center is movie zombie. You know, a hollow-eyed creature that's dead but doesn't know it's dead, and just goes about eating brains and wreaking general havoc.

Unfortunately, this isn't the movies. There's a lot at stake.

Tens of millions in public dollars. Community access to the nature located right in our backyard. The opportunity for firsthand experiences of nature. And the habitat and wildlife that gives the Whittier Narrows Natural Area its great value.

But as someone said, this isn't a democratic process.

It doesn't matter that the community you say you're trying to help is telling you--consistently--"We're not convinced" and "We don't want your watershed center" and "Don't waste our tax dollars" and "Why aren't you listening?"

There's something wrong when public servants decide the public doesn't matter.