By Ben Wright | 18 February 2010 | Hill Country News

Heavenly bodies might be the next notch on the post for Cedar Park as it seeks to become a destination city. On Thursday, the City Council discussed plans to create a science and astronomy center.

“Since Central Texas does not have a planetarium I thought that might be an interesting thing to do,” said Mayor Bob Lemon, cautioning that the city should not be in the planetarium business and should find local partners to work with.

A planetarium is already being planned in the Austin area. Austin Planetarium (austinplan etarium.org) hopes to break ground for a 115,000 square foot facility in 2012, assuming adequate funding can been secured.

Lemon also described how the 4A Economic Development Board has the vision for a “much larger project” which could see a full- blown science center born.

What would such a science center look like? Lots of things, according to Don Tracy and Alain O’Toole, who gave a presentation before the council. Tracy, who is running for City Council in the upcoming elections and sits on the 4A board, said the center could boast a planetarium, business incubator, science lab and veterans museum.

“My original suggestion was to find someone who owns land to partner with, someone who has interest in operating a planetarium,” Lemon said. “The 4A board has a vision for a much larger project.”

Tracy and O’Toole envision a place where kids can do projects in a science lab, learn about natural history, focus on advanced technology and connect with their Central Texas roots.

Community partnership would be vital, Tracy said, echoing Lemon. Austin Community College, Leander ISD and the Tourism and Public Arts boards could all be involved.

“It’s a chance for us to work together,” he said.

O’Toole, who sits on the city’s tourism board asked the City Council to look into creating a joint committee made up of local council and board members to refine the idea and assess its feasibility.

Councilmember Scott Mitchell said those charged with envisioning the project should not worry about cost but about value.

“We’ll figure out a way how to buy it,” he said. “If we think it’s worth it, we can work out how to finance it.”

Councilmember Lowell Moore said the city should look into grant funding options.

City Council also nominated seven people to the new Public Arts board after hearing from over a dozen interested applicants. Those appointed were Mark Ledyard, Robert Carter, Andy DeBruyn, Geraldine Smythe, P.J. Gorski, Joe Fiacco and Sheela Goodrich.