Fire Museum Plans Heating Up
BELLFLOWER: City is the likely home of the multi-story $25M building
project.
By Karen Robes Staff Writer for the Press Telegram
BELLFLOWER -- Long ago, a 1925 Engine 23 Stutz roared down the streets
of this city.
At the time, Bellflower had its own fire services before it began a
contract with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Many years
later, a group of current and retired firefighters acquired the
engine, stowing it away in a South Gate Warehouse.
Now, that historic Stutz may return to the city, as well as 45 other
fire engines and trucks dating back to the 1860s.
After decades of searching for a place to properly display its
artifacts, the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum Association has found
a tentative home downtown.
The City Council's decision this past week to allow the association to
set up shop in town is the start of a three- to fire-year, $25.
million project involving support from some major players, including
Supervisor Don Knabe and Long Beach restaurateur John Morris.
The city and the association began talks in 2006 about establishing a
multi-story museum concept -- a 50,000- to 60,000-square-foot facility
featuring an interactive education exhibit, gift shop, event and
training facility and restaurant.
Morris -- the owner of Smooth's Sports Grill in downtown Long Beach
who founded Legends on Second Street with help of then-Los Angeles
Rams Players -- is developing the concept for the museum's eatery.
"It's kind of a fun idea," Morris said. "I'm a sports guy so you've
got this Legends of sports. There's also legends of the fire
department. That was the intriguing part to me, where we can just
adorn the walls with legends of firefighters."
Part of the challenge will be raising the $25 million it will take to
pay for the project. The association's goal is to raise $300,000 to
$400,000 in the next six to nine months through membership dues and
other support.
To aggressively campaign for money, the association will stage
dioramas and host fundraising events at 9834 Flora Vista, a former
body shop the city purchased with $1.5 million in redevelopment funds
a year ago.
"We are taking the first big step to putting our money where our mouth
is," Paul Schneider, museum association president told council members
on Feb. 25.
The association also completed a promotional video featuring Knabe and
the county fire chief, P. Michael Freeman.
"There's an incredible history here with Los Angeles County fire
services," said Knabe, who filmed his part in the video a month ago.
"I'm very excited that Bellflower is going to move forward on this and
hopefully they can negotiate some agreement to make this happen."
The museum will be located in the Bellfower Elks Lodge on Bellflower
Boulevard, south of the newly restored train depot. The Flora Vista
property will eventually become a facility for restoring antique fire
vehicles.
The museum project is the latest move by the city to revitalize its
aging commercial corridor and cultivate revenue-generating businesses
to pay for crucial city services.
"I think Bellflower will finally have something that many communities
in Southern California will want to come and visit," said Mayor Scott
Larsen.
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The wording under the photo reads:
Retired firefighter Jim Page dusts off a 1948 Los Angeles County
rescue vehicle, inside a South Gate warehouse where fire trucks and
other fire department equipment are restored. The L.A. Count Fire
Department is trying to establish a museum dedicated to the history of
area fire stations.
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I'm so happy for this. Hmmm, I guess I'll have to start a scrap book
to put all the articles and stuff in.
kmg365
mo aka maureen
officer of morale aka troll patrol
(alt.tv.E!) hometown.aol.com/bandannamo/myhomepage/index.html
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