Walnut Creek institution Lindsay Wildlife Experience is going to be around town for at least another 30 years.
The education center and wildlife rehabilitation center recently reached an agreement with the city to stay at its First Avenue location, adjacent to Larkey Park, for another three decades.
The Walnut Creek City Council officially signed off on the new deal March 1, which includes two 10-year options that could extend the lease 50 years, until 2072.
“This long-term partnership with the city of Walnut Creek provides a stable foundation for us to carry out and grow our mission of connecting people with wildlife to inspire environmental stewardship,” said Lindsay Board President Janet Kozlowski, in a statement. “As an organization with many ‘firsts,’ including establishing the first wildlife rehabilitation hospital in the country and the first to perform many breakthrough medical treatments and protocols for wild animal care, it seems fitting to remain here on First Avenue in Walnut Creek.”
Lindsay survived a 14-month closure during the pandemic with “generous community support,” the statement said. Lindsay is now focused on enhancing its exhibit hall and wildlife hospital through its current $2.5 million “Go Wild with Lindsay” campaign.
“The lease agreement will help the organization reach this goal and keep delivering its unique educational outreach programs to families and schools throughout the Bay Area and beyond,” the statement said.
More than 5,000 wild animals are treated at Lindsay annually. It’s also home to 50 rehabilitated animals that couldn’t be released.
Founded by the late Alexander “Sandy” Lindsay, Lindsay Wildlife Experience began as a modest collection of natural history specimens for neighborhood children.
In 1955, it blossomed into the Diablo Junior Museum Association and underwent a name change before relocating to Larkey Park.
The Lindsay Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital was established in 1970, the first such wildlife rehabilitation facility in the United States.
After the construction of its current home in 1993 following a $7 million capital campaign, the organization completed its transformation into the Lindsay Wildlife Experience, which serves more than 100,000 children and adults each year.
Well they did something right.
That’s great. I am so glad they didn’t hit the museum with some manufactured racial equity nonsense. Never underestimate their ability to screw things up. Nature dodged a bullet this time.
Sounds great. I don’t think about it much since the kids are long grown, but the Lindsay Museum was one of the special things that made the Diablo Valley a great place to raise a family.
Not only for those of you who lived here when your kids were growing up. Even though I lived in Foster City when my daughter was growing up, I took her there as did my ex-husband. Then a few years ago when my granddaughter was a year and half, and my daughter and family was visiting from Southern California we went there, and I also went there with my step granddaughter when she was 6, I thoroughly enjoyed all visits there.
Finally, some good news!
I miss the good old days when Gary Bogue was affiliated with the Lindsay, writing a pet column in the Green Sheet.