April 26--SOUTH PADRE ISLAND -- A petition opposing expansion of the South Padre Island Convention Centre is being circulated by some long-time permanent Island residents.

Lucinda Wierenga, more commonly known by her sandcastle-building nickname "Sandy Feet," said Thursday the Island doesn't need a larger center, and preservation of wetlands wildlife habitat and natural beauty are more important.

Expanding the center would only attract more traffic and commercial activity that doesn't actually benefit local residents, she said.

Plans by city officials to expand the center are not justified or well thought-out, Wierenga said.

"It seems like they don't really know what they're doing, either," she said of city leaders. "I think they should slow down and think about it a little more. But they've jumped in and they've got pretty pictures, artists' renderings of all this fabulous stuff."

But basic questions about costs, benefits and environmental impact need to be discussed, Wierenga said.

At city meetings, staff members have pointed out the 1992 structure badly needs repair, as well as expansion and renovation to accommodate more varied types of events.

City Councilman Robert Fudge said Thursday the issue will be discussed at next Wednesday's meeting at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

"We have to decide whether we are going to expand the center or just repair it," Fudge said. "The center is on a 30-acre site, but about half of it is wetlands, so we are quite restricted on how much we can expand it."

Water penetration through walls, especially the "Whaling Wall," which has a painting of whales by the artist Wyland, has caused structural problems that could endanger visitors who view the painting, staff members have reported.

Architects and contractors have been developing plans for the expansion project since 2005.

Wierenga's petition, posted on change.org, states: "I would like to encourage you to abandon this foolhardy plan to create an expanded Convention Centre.

"The convention market is dying; South Padre Island does not have the amenities that will attract the necessary hotel rooms and it (is) simply unwise to put all our eggs in a basket -- the bottom of which is already falling out.

"There are so many ways to better benefit our town's guests and residents while still putting 'heads in beds.'"

Some events draw very large crowds.

Last weekend's Beach 'n' Biker Fest overwhelmed the facility's parking lot with hundreds of cars parked on sand near the center while the small paved parking lot was filled with motorcycles.

Comments from local residents and persons writing from other parts of Texas are included on the website.

City officials have a history of the renovation and expansion project listed online: "The SPI Convention Centre was built in 1992 on a 30-acre tract of Cameron County land designed by LMN Architects of Seattle, Wash. The building was built for an original cost of $12,750,000."

The Convention Centre is located on the northern end of the city of South Padre Island with vehicular access off of Highway 100.

"The building is surrounded by native vegetation and wetlands. To the north, the building is bound by a large expanse of tidal flats and to the south there is the Birding and Nature Centre. The Convention Centre overlooks the Laguna Madre to the west and is across Highway 11 from the county park."

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