California Parks

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Huntington Beach, CA





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Gibbs Butterfly Park Attracts Record Crowd in Huntington Beach


By Chris MacDonald

16641 Graham Street
Huntington Beach
HBTrees.org

More than 100 people, including the Consul General of the Slovak Republic, enjoyed the re-dedication of Gibbs Butterfly Park with the unveiling of eight artistic tiles showing the development of a new Monarch Butterfly.

The new butterfly tiles created by artist Lubica Selecka of Capistrano Beach even brought Slovak Republic Consul General Daniel Orszag to the ceremony, along with a camera crew from his country.

"We're so very proud of Slovak Artist Lubica Selecka and her incredible tiles telling the butterfly story," Orszag said. "Even children can understand the process because of the beautiful art."

The parks wasn't always so beautiful and the story it told was quite a different one in 2007 when the area west of Meadowlark Golf Course had 179 dead eucalyptus trees. Neighbor Leslie Gilson noticed the decay and she approached the City of Huntington Beach to see if the land could be restored.

Working with the city, Gilson spearheaded an effort that involved Jean Nagy of the HB Tree Society, the city's Park, Tree and Landscape group, neighbors, Boy Scouts, school children and many volunteers.

Trees were removed, new eucalyptus planted and a tile mosaic explaining how Monarchs migrate there between November and March was cleaned.

Many of the butterflies, who are escaping freezing temperatures in Colorado, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, stop at Gibbs Park before heading south. Other local Monarchs are in the park much of the year, thanks to the amazing effort, which included an Eagle Scout project that put specially placed trees on the golf course for butterfly wind protection in the park.

"Real leaders are ordinary people with extraordinary determination," said Jean Nagy, President of the non-profit HB Tree Society. "It was a wonderful private-public partnership that saved the park. I want to thank Leslie and everyone who has done so much to help make it flourish."

"I'm so impressed that so many people took such interest in restoring this place so people can come here today and relax, reflect, recharge and reconnect with nature," said park namesake, HB's first woman mayor, Norma Brandel Gibbs.

Among the celebrants were former HB Mayor Ralph Bauer, HB City Councilperson Matthew Harper, Shipley Nature Center Vice President Kay Goddard, HB Human Relations Task Force Vice Chair Don Garrick, former chairpersons of the HB Planning Commission Barbara Delgleize and Tom Livengood, Steve Bickel of the HB Chamber of Commerce, plus many others.

Get involved: Deposit money at the donation station, name a tree for individuals as anniversary, birthday and memorials.

Photos: 1. Shipley Nature Center Vice President Kay Goddard and Former Huntington Beach Mayor Norma Brandel-Gibbs. 2. Important Dignitaries 3. Huntington Beach Tree Society President Jean Nagy, Huntington Beach Public Works Department Maintenance Operations Manager Denny Bacon and Huntington Beach Community Services Interim Director Janeen Laudenbeck. 4. Huntington Beach Mayor Pro Tem Matthew Harper and HB Ambassador Chris MacDonald. 5. Here is the Eighth Butterfly Tile. 6.Former Huntington Beach Mayor Ralph Bauer and Rainbow Environmental Services Vice President Of Public Affairs Sue Gordon.


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