Some speak out against recent renaming to Central Coast Zoo, but leader of petition recants opposition

ATASCADERO — The debate over the recent name change of Atascadero’s zoo was the biggest topic of discussion at the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 24, with city Director of Community Services & Promotion Terrie Banish explaining the change and plan for the city-owned zoo, and a vocal opponent unexpectedly removing his opposition to the change.

The item was put on the agenda as an informational-only Management Report, which Mayor Charles Bourbeau said was added due to the recent public debate and opposition by some to the zoo’s name change from Charles Paddock Zoo to Central Coast Zoo.

“We’ve gotten comments during the Community Forum, but we couldn’t really discuss it because it wasn’t on the agenda,” Bourbeau said. “So I felt if we got it on the agenda we could have a substantial discussion.”

The name change to Central Coast Zoo was announced on June 7, during the zoo’s Ice Cream Zoofari that celebrated its 70th anniversary. Before that, the zoo was named for Paddock, a park ranger who founded it in 1955, and was known for rehabilitating injured wildlife.

According to the city, the rebrand reflects the zoo’s expanded vision and regional identity, making its location and mission more recognizable to residents and visitors alike, a statement Banish, who participated in the meeting remotely from Hawaii, expounded on during her presentation.

“In this digital age, it’s important to have a solid brand that promotes an expanded geographical area to gain more financial support,” Banish said. “Outside of Atascadero, people do not know of the Charles Paddock Zoo, and with the change we’ll gain more revenue and people will find us.”

Banish noted that Paddock’s legacy will still be front and center at the zoo as the entrance to the establishment was renamed Charles Paddock Plaza, where his statue still stands, and his story is incorporated into the new kids’ activity book available at the zoo.

“With that, we feel the story of Charles Paddock will have a greater impact,” she said.

Banish also mentioned the recent re-accreditation of the zoo by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums was an important factor in the change. The Central Coast Zoo is the only AZA-accredited zoo in San Luis Obispo County.

“We recently retained accreditation for the next five years, and with our commitment to AZA, it’s even more important to rebrand, as we need to work to be financially sustainable, and rebranding is a major part of this,” she said. Earlier this year, it was reported that the zoo had operated at a $750,000 deficit last year.

One of the more notables opponents to the name change has been Atascadero resident Luke Phillips, who had a letter to the editor published in the June 19 issue of the Atascadero News, and also started an online petition that had over 1,000 supporters.

However, when he took the podium during public comment on the item, Phillips announced he was withdrawing his opposition to the change and closed the petition.

“I took the position to preserve the Charles Paddock name to protect the legacy of a man who was widely admired and respected in the community,” he said. “However, I am here tonight to say I no longer support that effort. My decision comes after Mayor Bourbeau shared with me yesterday some very serious allegations about Mr. Paddock that came out in the past that were unknown to me and the public at large. That new context fundamentally changes my feelings about fighting for Mr. Paddock’s legacy.”

Phillips did not elaborate on the allegations he was told about and thanked those who supported his efforts and the petition.

Several speakers came to comment after Phillips, with opinions on the name change mixed.

Dean Young expressed her opposition to the change.

“My family knew Chuck for years; he was a well-respected member of the community,” she said. “Central Coast could mean anywhere from San Francisco down to Ventura. It means nothing. I’ve googled Chuck Paddock Zoo online and it comes up, I google Central Coast and a lot of things come up. I hope you will reverse this decision.”

However, some speakers, like former Atascadero School Board member Donn Clickard, were in favor of the change.

“I went to the zoo again today, after the name change, and I saw the name Charles Paddock Plaza and his statue. The tribute to Paddock is there,” he said. “We need to recognize that they’ve been looking at this for 18 months, and reasons for the change are important. That should be honored and respected.”

One speaker Randy Kenney, was critical of the council’s transparency in the name-change decision.

“What I’m mad at is I don’t know anyone I’ve talked to one person who was notified the name would change,” he said. “Where is the proof of signatures for this; I would just like to be told.”

Banish later did cite several instances over the past 18 months where the name-change proposal was included on meeting agendas items.

The council generally was in support of the name change, but another issue was brought up by Councilmember Seth Peek: Whether the city should even be operating a zoo.

“I was surprised when I became a City Councilperson that we actually owned the zoo, and I thought it was bad business to own a zoo” Peek said. “I do know that operating something at a deficit is not something I’m into. I do hope this is sustainable, because I do not think a city should be paying for a zoo to be run.”

Others councilmembers, like Heather Newsom, felt maintaining the zoo was an important thing for the city.

“I don’t ever want to see it closed,” she said. “It’s the number 1 thing that makes the city unique: ‘We have a zoo.'”

Bourbeau wrapped it up by saying, “We want the zoo to be successful. To keep alive what Charles Paddock wanted is the important thing, and this has been an important step.”

The City Council will not meet on the second Tuesday of July, so the next meeting will be Tuesday, July 22, at 6 p.m.