Spring Brook Nature Center in Itasca may have cut a popular raptors rehab program to save money, but discussions are progressing on how to expand and refocus other programs.
At issue is making some programs self-sufficient, which could mean charging higher fees for non-residents, officials said, while adding to nature trails and providing more children’s activities, among other ideas.
Nature Center officials and village officials met last week to outline a new direction following the disbanding of the birding program and staff reductions.
“We have offered a popular birds of prey program, featuring federally protected raptors, but we have approved eliminating our bird rehab program, which costs $300,000 a year of the taxpayers’ money,” said Itasca Mayor Gigi Gruber.
“We receive no outside money for that program, and rehabbing about 200 birds like we did last year is costly.”
Funding for the Nature Center comes from the local hotel tax, which totals about $600,000 a year.
Trustee Jeff Pruyn said he believes the center should get about $250,000 of that.
The center’s proposed budget for this year is $638,000, said Fred Maier, center director.
Gruber said the center needs more exposure, more children’s activities and expanded public use.
“We intend to keep this 69-acre area open,” she said. “We still want people to come and enjoy the nature trails and the birds of prey. Eliminating the rehab program doesn’t affect visitors at all, since they never saw that anyway.”
Other suggestions include adding destination spots along the nature trail in downtown Itasca, at the community pool and at the Nature Center.
Pruyn said a villagewide camp-out after hours might be another idea. “I think the camp use is a good suggestion and a fun thing to do,” he said.
Who is using the center and what they should pay requires study, Pruyn said.
“Another issue we need to look at is outside use,” Pruyn said.
“If some of the programs are drawing more people from outside Itasca, maybe we need to look at changing the cost structure of some things, since the village can’t continue to subsidize them completely. We have to make some programs self-sufficient.”
