State Turns Down Abalone Cove Grant Request

A city application for $7 million to construct a Nature Education Center at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park has been turned down by the state's Office of Grants and Local Services.

A state Department of Parks and Recreation letter to Rancho Palos Verdes city officials explains the center's application was not selected for funding.

"The Nature Education Facilities Program was highly competitive with more than 300 applications received requesting almost $1 billion," the letter stated. "This far exceeded the $93 million available. OGALS believes that the number of applications and amount of funds requested highlights a statewide need for nature education facilities."

No specific reason was given for the rejection "except that the total amount of funding requested statewide far exceeded the amount of available grant funds," Deputy City Manager Carolynn Petru said in an email.

In an email sent to city residents, Councilman Brian Campbell said the rejection would likely come as good news to those concerned with buildup of the city's coastal areas.

"I also never heard much enthusiasm in the community for a new building of the scope that was originally visualized in this grant," he said in the email.

The improvements would have included:

• A nature education building that is approximately 5,900 square feet

• Improved parking lot

• Renovated restrooms

• Improvements to the Chapel View Trail

• Native plants and habitat restoration

• Interpretive signage

• Improved picnics areas

Campbell also suggested "Abalone Cove’s propane tank and generator being relocated out of sight and the guard shack redesigned so that it fits into the landscape better."

"In any case, Abalone Cove will remain without any major changes to it for a long time to come," Campbell said.

For more information on this project's background, click here. And view the letter in this article's photo gallery.