A valiant (but rather silly-sounding) effort to save one of San Mateo's coastal beauties has fallen flat.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals last week told the the head of state parks that they would pay to save Pescadero State Beach -- with a few conditions.
The group launched a campaign called "Save the Sea Kittens" and sent a letter to California State Parks Director Ruth Coleman saying that if the state renames the beach to "Sea Kitten" State Beach and bans fishing from the shoreline, they will contribute to keep the beach open. Pescadero State Beach is one of 219 state parks slated to close because of budget cuts.
But the state parks department wasn't lured by the offer.
"State park names are not for sale," State Parks Information Officer Sheryl Watson told the Chronicle.
"When we give a name to a new park," Watson said, "we have a naming process that includes consideration of the geographic area, historic names of the area or place, the names of the people who donated the land and names of a deceased people who contributed significantly to the system."
But keep those ideas coming, PETA.
The parks "are open to all creative ideas that might help us keep parks open and operating," Watson encourages.
So, the hopes of visiting Sea Kitten State Beach are dashed, just like that.
Photo courtesy dbaron
