The La Habra City Council voted to move forward with plans for an immersion theater addition to the Children's Museum, approving a preferred site and a design funding commitment and placing a conditional city construction pledge on the record. Council approved the site and authorized up to $50,000 (city share equal to half the design cost, not to exceed $50,000) for architectural and building plans. The council also approved a $400,000 conditional city funding commitment to help build the facility if and when private fundraising and final plans support construction. Both votes carried unanimously (4-0).

The Friends of the Children's Museum, the museum's nonprofit fundraising arm, described the proposed immersion theater as roughly 3,000 square feet with an 18-foot interior projection surface that would present high-definition, full-room audio-visual programs for children and the public. Kent Roberts, a Friends board member leading the effort, described the space as "designed on purpose, on purpose to create a new source of long term income that can flow to the museum enterprise." Roberts said the gallery would host rotating programs (wildlife, North America, Egypt, aquarium views) and could be used for school tours and evening rentals.

Staff and the Friends emphasized that final construction costs are unknown until architects and mechanical/electrical engineers complete plans. "You can't know the cost until you have plans," Roberts said, noting that the Friends had raised cash and secured pledges but that the project will not proceed to construction until private funding is in hand. Staff requested direction on three items: approval of the site, authorization of up to $50,000 for design work, and a future commitment of $400,000 toward construction if private funding is fully secured. Council members said they were supportive of the concept and of Roberts' fundraising record but asked for cost transparency and recommended that the $400,000 commitment be conditioned on final plans and confirmed private funding.

The site chosen sits immediately south of the museum behind the Depot Theater with access to the parking lot. Kent Roberts said the plan may require moving or removing one or two historic railcars on the museum grounds; he and staff said they will explore alternatives to minimize removal and take steps to preserve historic cars where feasible. Roberts estimated that moving individual rail cars could cost in the low thousands to tens of thousands of dollars depending on transport and crane usage and said the Friends would pursue options.

Outcome: Council approved the site location and design-funding request (A and B) by a 4-0 vote and approved item C, a $400,000 conditional city funding commitment, by a 4-0 vote with the commitment explicitly conditioned on council review of final plans and the project securing full private funding prior to the city using its contribution.

Provenance: staff presentation and project summary at 00:52:12 and the Friends presentation beginning at 01:00:55; council action recorded at 01:49:5501:51:50.