Politics & Government

Viewfinder: A First Look at the Marine Sanctuary VIsitor's Center

With a hoped-for Memorial Day opening, members of the Sanctuary Advisory Council and Congressman Sam Farr got a tour of the new Santa Cruz tourist attraction.

The steel is up, the windows are laid out, the gift shop is open online and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Exploration Center in Santa Cruz may be open by the time it takes you to say and remember that killer whale of a name.

Well, they are hoping for a Memorial Day opening, anyway.

Congressman Sam Farr, who wrangled what may be some of the last federal funds ever available for construction projects they now call earmarks, was there. So was Mayor Ryan Coonerty.

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"This is exactly what we should be doing to get out of this recession," he said. "The state and federal government coming together to provide jobs."

Funding for the $15 million project has been shared by state, federal and private donations. It is located across from the Municipal Wharf, on what used to be a BMX bike park.

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Officials, including the members of the Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, took the new trolley from the police station to the Exploration Center (nicknamed ExploraCruz on one site) for their tour.

See video and pictures to the right for a VIP tour.


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