Valley Children’s Museum​ Struggling For Money, Location: Dublin

DUBLIN, CA — The fate of a permanent Valley Children's Museum in Dublin is up in the air due to financial struggles, and now city council will decide how it would like to proceed.

During its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday, Dublin City Council will weigh whether it should support and/or assist VCM in opening a permanent downtown facility.

Currently, VCM has a memorandum of understanding with the city to construct a 25,000-foot museum in Don Biddle Community Park. The original document was signed in Aug. 2017, and in July 2018 an extension was granted through Dec. 31, 2019. With the expiration looming, VCM has stated it will not pursue another extension, according to city documents.

Finances are to blame. As part of the original MOU, VCM had agreed to raise $1,5o0,000 in donations to build the Biddle Park facility. When the 2018 extension was agreed upon, the figure did not change. But now it's become clear the financial obligation is too large for the museum to meet.

Instead, VCM is interested in being "granted" a much smaller space — 5,000-10,000 square feet — in downtown Dublin that would serve as a "future community benefit."

In a Nov. 14, 2019 letter to Dublin's city manager, VCM Board President Ed Duarte wrote, "Given the time frame requirements of the current MOU and the fundraising climate for non-profits in the Tri-Valley, it has become apparent we will not meet the deadline for raising the $1.5 million."

In the letter, Duarte thanked the city for its support of VCM's mobile Emerald Glen Park location over the past six years, but said "we are counting on the city's help and support in locating and starting up at a new location downtown."

In May, VCM celebrated a ribbon-cutting at the park for its newly remodeled trailer.

The Dec. 3 Dublin City Council meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. in council chambers, 100 Civic Plaza.