BOARD OF HARBOR COMMISSIONERS APPROVES FUNDING TRANSPORTATION EXHIBIT AT WILMINGTON’S BANNING MUSEUM
$900,000 Project is Part of the Port’s Community Aesthetic Mitigation Funding
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — August 21, 2008 — The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners unanimously approved spending up to $900,000 on a Transportation Exhibit at the Banning Museum in Wilmington. The exhibit, being coordinated by The Friends of Banning Park Corporation, spotlights the transportation history of the Los Angeles Harbor between 1850 and 1915 and will be separated by eras: Spanish and Mexican Era, American Era, Railroad and Port Development, and Transportation Legacy of the Los Angeles Harbor. The exhibit will be housed in 3,000 square feet and is expected to take two years to complete.
“It is important for the residents and visitors to this area to understand the history that brought us to the point of being a critical transportation and commerce hub for the nation,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commission President S. David Freeman. “The Transportation Exhibit Project at the Banning Museum is an important addition to the area and we are pleased to be able to assist with its financing through the existing community mitigation funds – this is what the fund was intended to support.”
Funding for this project comes from the Port’s Community Aesthetic Mitigation Program, created as part of the China Shipping lawsuit settlement in 2003. A total of $13.3 million was set aside for projects in the Wilmington community. It is anticipated that $3.1 million will be expended on the already-approved Wilmington Youth Sailing Center and $2.7 million has been approved for an aquatics center at the Wilmington YMCA.
“The Board of the Friends of Banning joins me in expressing deep appreciation to the Harbor Commission, our founder Nancy Banning Call, our Museum Director Michael Sanborn, and a wonderful cross-section of individuals who helped us obtain this award," remarked Hank Hilty, President of the Friends. Hilty acknowledged the broad interest and excitement this project is generating as they continue to move closer to their Campaign fund raising goals. Additionally he mentioned that the Museum anticipates this exhibition will attract Museum visitors not only from this region but from around the country and international guests who are visiting this area.
A call for proposals in Wilmington went out to the community in 2007. Types of proposed conceptual projects being sought were those providing a nexus between the proposed project and the impact of Port operations. Viable concepts included: open space and parks; landscaping and beautification; and educational, arts or athletic facilities. Received proposals were reviewed by the Port Community Advisory Committee and then sent to the California State Lands Commission for evaluation of consistency with the Tidelands Trust and the Public Trust Doctrine. The project then came before the Board of Harbor Commissioners for approval. A similar fund and process is in place for projects in the San Pedro area.
The Port of Los Angeles, also known as “America’s Port,” has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy and the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. A recipient of numerous environmental awards, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 Clean Air Excellence Award, the Port of Los Angeles is committed to innovating cleaner, greener ways of doing business. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates 919,000 regional jobs and $39.1 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars. The Port of Los Angeles - A cleaner port. A brighter future.