Rio Vista foundation has lofty plans
By Brian Hamlin
Article Launched: 08/10/2008 07:06:00 AM PDT
Ken Scheidegger is hoping to spark interest in tourism by opening the Delta Discovery Center just outside of Rio Vista. (Joel Rosenbaum)
Many communities near the Sacramento River tout themselves as "The Heart of the Delta." If a group of regional activists get their way, though, the Sacramento Delta will someday be known as "The Heart of California."
Ken Scheidegger, president of the non-profit Discover the Delta Foundation, hopes his group will soon open a $1.5 million information and education center near Rio Vista which will highlight myriad facets of the region's importance to California history, commerce, industry and recreation.
The two-story, 7,720-square-foot structure will be located at the intersection of Highways 12 and 160 near the east end of Rio Vista's Helen Madere Memorial Bridge and include everything from antique agricultural exhibits to a wine tasting
The location is key to getting to the Discover the Delta center - an estimated 10 million vehicles pass by the site annually. Today, Scheidegger said, many of those motorists may not even realize that they're traveling through the Sacramento Delta.
"For a lot of people - even those who actually live here - the Delta is always 'over there somewhere,' " Scheidegger said. "This whole identity of the Delta needs to be developed and better understood."
The region, he said, encompasses five counties - Solano, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Yolo and Contra Costa - each of which comprises a unique piece of the area's history and culture.
For more than 150 years, he explained, the Sacramento Delta has been a key part of California trade and commerce, home to such diverse cultures as the region's original California Indian population to Chinese, Portuguese, Italian and Hispanic influences.
The region has proved to be one of the top agricultural producers in the nation and also is rich in natural gas, water resources and recreational opportunities. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Delta was a bustling center for river trade in a young state ready to grow. Today, the river and adjacent highways remain vital to California commerce.
Scheidegger, owner of the Riverboat Marina near Isleton, is unabashed in his love for the Sacramento Delta and its meandering waterways.
Unfortunately, he said, many people never have an opportunity to become acquainted with the area.
"We're just trying to put together a center that presents the Delta story as told by Delta people," said Scheideggar, gazing out along the Mokelumne River from a breezy, tree-shaded marina. "We're trying to bring a lot of the pieces of the Delta together so people can learn about it and enjoy it."
In addition to the on-site exhibits, Scheidegger said, the foundation hopes that the center will serve as a jumping off point for people who want to further explore the region.
"We'll be like a bicycle wheel with the spokes leading to other points of interest, eco-tours, marinas, historical sites, wind turbines, wineries, even ag tourism," he said.
Proponents are hoping to have the Discover the Delta Information Center completed by November. For more information, call (916) 777-4442 or e-mail info@discoverthedelta.org.
An artist scale model of the proposed Delta Discovery Center room and visitor center.
