Christensen Science Center Holds Open House

By Hunter Chase, Reporter

The Vic and Bonnie Christensen Science Center, a longtime destination for field trips by Harbor Area students, held a soft reopening and open house on Nov. 21, which revealed a major change in its focus — from animals to plants.

Rather than chickens, goats, a pig and a Shetland pony named Peaches, the emphasis is on fruits and vegetables.

At the open house there were five plots near the front of the science center, each holding crops planted by various classes of fifth graders who had visited this past summer. Each student chose what to plant, so the plots contain a mix of vegetables, from cabbage to carrots. The students originally placed them in cups; staff later transferred them to the plots.

The science center also features banana, apple, nectarine and pomegranate trees. There are plots for potatoes, yams, tomatoes, different types of mint and more.

The animals have gone on to rescue homes—all except the pig, which died.

However, when the fifth graders visited in July, the Critter Squad was there with urban animals, including rats and a pigeon.

The site for the center was previously considered for a new middle school in the Los Angeles Unified School District, said Lou Mardesich, community of schools administrator for LAUSD Local District South. Plans for this were cancelled due to declining enrollment in LAUSD, Mardesich said.

Mardesich has an office at the Christensen Science Center, but doesn’t spend much time there, as he supervises the LAUSD schools in San Pedro, and is often on their campuses.

He wants the center to eventually house a hub for school police and nurses. They will reside in one of two buildings on the property. The one that contains Mardesich’s office is also used to train LAUSD teachers and principals, Mardesich said.

Both buildings have been renovated, but one is not being used by the staff as it still has a mold problem, said Terry Ball, director of Local District South.

The center never officially shut down, but stopped being used as frequently for tours about six years ago, Maredesich said. It was still used to store LAUSD equipment. It reopened in July on a small scale, when the fifth graders visited.

The staff receives help from the Willenberg Career and Transition Center, as volunteers come by twice a week to help with gardening, Ball said. Even a month before the open house the vegetation was overgrown, and several dumpsters full of vegetation had to be removed.

Victor Christenson, the son of Vic and Bonnie Christenson, whom the center is named after, is a part-time employee of LAUSD and has volunteered for the center in the past. He intends to continue doing so, but he has been unable to lately since he does not have keys. He has been attending Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council meetings to keep the public informed of new developments.

While they have made a lot of progress, Daniel said there is always room for growth, and he wants to see the center live up to its full potential.