Chula Vista Nature Center Gets New Name!

After 25 years, the Chula Vista Nature Center will now be known as the Living Coast Discovery Center, a brand aimed at attracting a wider audience and reflecting the organization’s independence from city funding.

“The time was right for us to select a name that better reflects our mission, which is to inspire care and exploration of the living earth by connecting people with coastal animals, plants and habitats,” said Dr. Brian Joseph, the executive director for the center. “There was some confusion that we’re still associated with the city of Chula Vista.”

New programming includes day camps for kids and teens and overnight stays for families, scouts and other groups.

The center’s new tagline will be “Where wonder comes naturally on San Diego Bay,” with an eye toward eco-tourism.

“The reason it resonates: It captures the life in the bay and the ocean,” Joseph said.

The center relies heavily on financial support from various community groups but hopes to increase visitor-based revenue. Donors include the Unified Port of San Diego, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, Allied Waste, Marine Group Boat Works, the Wergeland family and Sempra Energy. The port gave about $125,000 to help fund the center through June, especially for the seasonal exhibit, “Washed Ashore,” which features massive sculptures of marine life made from plastic ocean trash.
In 2009, the facility almost closed because the city, faced with severe budget cuts, could no longer afford the $1 million annual cost to operate it.

The center has grown. While it was transitioning from being publicly funded in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, it brought in about $737,000 and had a spending plan of about $474,000.

Currently, the nonprofit has a general spending plan of about $1.4 million a year, and brings in about that much through programming such as the kid camps and boosting the membership fees.

“Although it was 24 years old, it was a brand new organization,” Joseph said of the first year without public funds.

The organization is also hoping to boost its profile by reserving a spot on the San Diego Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website. New signs, letterhead and the website are in the works.

Joseph said the center is reaching a larger regional audience with 25 percent of its clientele coming from outside San Diego County and 50 percent from areas in San Diego County besides Chula Vista. Only 25 percent of visitors are from Chula Vista, he said.

Jorge Balvaneda

Helping People Succeed and Celebrating Their Success. Co-founded Bravado Awards, specializing in donor walls, bronze plaques, corporate awards and sports trophies. Also Co-founded Chula Vista Sports, a free community website covering all sports and outdoor activities in and around the City of Chula Vista. Currently serves as President of Eastlake Business Association and loves spending time with his beautiful wife and kids.