KIDS' MUSEUM HAS GROWTH SPURT $1 MILLION SAVES THE DAY, BUT CASH INFUSION STILL NEEDED SOON.Byline: BRENT HOPKINS Staff Writer LAKE VIEW TERRACE -- The buzz of a circular saw drowned out Drowned Out is a 2002 documentary by Franny Armstrong about the controversial Sardar Sarovar Project. It closely follows a family that is unwilling to leave its village home as the water levels of the Narmada River, mostly because the government provides them no viable Councilman Richard Alarcon's address Monday in front of the Children's Museum of Los Angeles The Children's Museum of Los Angeles is a museum specifically catered to children whose purpose is to educate, entertain and enrich children's lives in the greater Los Angeles area. It was modeled from the children's museums in Boston, Indianapolis and Brooklyn. -- and he didn't mind at all. A month ago, the long-delayed project at Foothill Boulevard The following streets are named Foothill Boulevard:
intr.v. im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends 1. To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending. 2. bill to pay the contractor. Its future seemed dire. But donors stepped up, Alarcon said, and gave $1 million in four weeks -- more than the museum raised in all of the previous year. In the next 11 days, it needs $250,000 more to qualify for county funds to allow construction to continue. Backers seem enthusiastic. "This is a very exciting time," Alarcon said. "We had a challenge a month ago to get the money to make sure we could get this done. ... It was a little dicey, but a project like the Children's Museum Children's museums are institutions that provide exhibits and programs that stimulate informal learning experiences for children. In contrast with traditional museums that typically have a hands-off policy regarding exhibits, children's museums feature interactive exhibits that are cannot stop." In total, the effort will bring in $58 million, leaving the museum still $20 million in the hole. While the current round of construction bills is nearly paid -- largely due to an anonymous $500,000 donation -- the board of directors vowed to press on to make up the $250,000 shortfall. "Kids, this might be a surprise, but I have only one job," said Mike Roos, co-chairman of the museum board, to the gaggle of assembled schoolchildren schoolchildren school npl → écoliers mpl; (at secondary school) → collégiens mpl; lycéens mpl schoolchildren school . "I'm here to collect $1,000 from each of you. You might have to call your mom She goes to the gym. and dad." After the nervous laughter died down among the students from nearby Fenton Avenue Elementary Charter School, the former Assembly speaker promised them he'd instead look to the wealthy citizens of Los Angeles and corporate benefactors of the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , a group that has been less than forthcoming with donations in the past. "We are going to make it," Roos promised. "There's no other option." The group, minus the kids, then toured the construction site as the workers kept hammering away in the background. The crowd learned of the innovative architecture, the kid-friendly ramp, the interactive learning tree and the site of future sand displays. In two years, if the money comes through, the dusty concrete will become a real museum. "I can't wait until 2009," said one tour member, deftly stepping over some wet cement. "Yeah," agreed museum Chief Executive Officer Cecilia Aguilera Glassman. "Me neither." brent.hopkins(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3738 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Work on the ticket booth for the new Children's Museum of Los Angeles continues Monday in Lake View Terrace. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer |
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