Educational Replica Of Oval Office Jeopardized By Freeway Expansion
CORONA (CBSLA.com) — An Inland Empire replica of the Oval Office, which has played a part in educating hundreds of thousands of students, may face closure as the result of a freeway expansion.
The replica, which is part of a Corona car dealership, has attracted and inspired thousands of students over the years. Road contstruction on the 91 freeway, however, has put the future of the replica in jeopardy.
"We've had over 200,000 students in this facility, and they've all been impacted in a positive," public relations director Dallas Tuff said. "As construction goes on, it's going to be very difficult for the big buses to come, that bring the kids."
Bud Gordon, the owner of the dealership on 6th street in Corona, built the replica around 2001 with the hope of inspiring students in the area.
The expansion also means the Auto museum next to the dealership will have to be bulldozed, in order to create more lanes.
"Kids are not going to get the 'come to life' experience that they get when they come here," education director Angela Limon said. "They get to see history, they get to see government tangibly."
The museum staff suggests the museum is currently scheduled to stay open throughout the remainder of the 2013-14 school year, but that the future beyond that point is unknown.
