Balboa Park Conservancy hopes to fundraise $3 million for renovations by August

McKenna Aiello | Uptown News

The Balboa Park Conservancy announced today their latest endeavor to completely revamp the historic Botanical Building in time for 2015, the highly anticipated year of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration. Despite contention surrounding the recent disbandment of the massive event’s planning committee, local organizations stated that preparation continues in conjunction with City event-planning staff.

Hillcrest business owner David Lundin spoke alongside members of Save Our Heritage Organisation, Balboa Park Committee of 100, and the Conservancy, during a press conference that touched on several topics involving the park’s preparation for next year.

While Lundin called for increased scrutiny and investigation into the actions of Balboa Park Centennial, Inc. — the group previously responsible for the Centennial’s planning — he stood alongside other Park advocates as they spoke of the immediate need to renovate the Botanical Building.

“After I communicated with [The Balboa Park Conservancy] we ended up with a really good dialogue, and we’re going to see some evolutions in the planning processes,” Lundin said at the press conference. “I am honestly grateful that this is why we are here this morning.”

The Conservancy’s board president Carol Chang spoke to the Botanical Buildings dire need for repairs and enhancement, a structure originally constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, the landmark event establishing San Diego as an international port city.

Due to severe cuts in public funding, the botanical building has not seen any upgrades since 1999 — a factor that the Conservancy believes has lead to the building’s “Poor” condition ratings by the Facility Condition Index.

“This structure is one of the most visited and photographed in San Diego,” Chang said. “In many ways, the Botanical Building represents the best of the Park.”

And although it has become an iconic feature of Balboa Park, the Conservancy is looking to raise nearly $3 million from private philanthropists to fund the initiative by August, a surmountable task considering less than $10,000 has been raised thus far, according to Chang.

“It’s not easy to raise funds in Balboa Park, but we have identified people who are interested and who really would like to play a part … We are very hopeful that the promise from what we’re hearing will come forward eventually with actual dollar amounts,” Chang said.

But according to president of San Diego’s Save Our Heritage Organisation Jaye MacAskill, this project will undoubtedly succeed in areas where others have failed.

“It’s not just one person’s vision,” MacAskill said. “This is something that we all want and all the groups are behind.”

As a result of the recent disbanding of the Balboa Park Celebration, Inc., many mistakenly believed the reins of planning the event were now in the hands of the Conservancy, another organization dedicated to raising funds for the Park, according to the press release.

“Over the past several months there has been particular concern expressed by individuals concerning the need to have better communication, understanding and clarity about ‘who’ is leading the 2015 celebration efforts …” the press release stated.

Balboa Park organizations came together to clarify that the City of San Diego Office of Special Events would have sole responsibility for events related to the Centennial year, allowing the Conservancy to focus on an issue they believe is in dire need of attention.

Chang says the public will be invited to attend all meetings surrounding the restoration of the Botanical Building to maintain complete transparency.

“What’s important? That is to be public, open and transparent at all times,” Lundin said. “And [Chang] and the Conservancy are truly on board with that.”

In conjunction with the opening of a revitalized Botanical Building in 2015, both Lundin and community stakeholder Sandy Shapery will collaborate with the City’s Office of Special Events to plan “Spring into the Past,” a weekend-long event that aims to “celebrate the Park’s past and work to secure its future,” according to the press release.

The organizers hope the event encourages families to dress up in period costumes as they participate in docent guided tours, view exhibitions of automobiles and memorabilia and enjoy free performances from the San Diego Opera, Symphony and The Old Globe Theatre.

As Lundin and Balboa Park organizations continue to team up with the City to organize Balboa Park’s Centennial event, those interested in sharing ideas or interested in taking part in the planning process can email Lundin at [email protected]. Those interested in donating to the Conservancy’s Botanical Building project can visit balboapark.org/conservancy/donate.