Though the Chabot Space and Science Center is only five minutes from her Oakland hills home, Alicia White said she does not visit it as often as she did before.

White said the weak economy and its impact on her household budget have kept her from taking her two children to the center.

Like White and others who watch their expenses, the Chabot center is being forced to closely track its own financial situation.

Last week, Alexandra Barnett, Chabot's executive director announced a restructuring of the center, including new, more limited hours and the elimination of 18.5 staff positions. These changes took effect in July, when Chabot announced new admission prices of $11 for adults and $8 for children.

These entry fees are slightly higher than before, though they now include planetarium shows. Ticket prices for shows at the center's Tien MegaDome movie theater were lowered but are not included with general admission. Parking fees were dropped.

All these changes, Barnett said, are intended to accommodate visitors' requests and attract more people in the evenings and on weekends, when the center has its largest attendance.

Most important, she said, the restructuring should save the center about $1 million in the coming year.

"When I came on board as executive director six months ago, it was apparent that Chabot needed to refocus its activities and become more efficient and effective at marketing and delivering programs," Barnett said.

Since the center opened to the public in 2000, a soft economy has hampered fund-raising efforts and adversely affected visitation, she said.

Oakland City Councilmember Jean Quan, who is on Chabot's board of directors, said that, like most nonprofit organizations, Chabot's financial situation suffered after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Attendance dropped 30 percent, Quan said, and it is "only creeping up now."

"They're having financial problems, and we're hoping it will pass. But it's a wonderful resource for the kids," Quan said. "It's important that kids in the Bay Area have access to Chabot, a world-class facility."

Helping Chabot maintain this status is $11.8 million the center received from Measure G, a $59 million measure passed by voters in 2000 to improve facilities at the science center, Oakland Museum of California and the Oakland Zoo. Some $9 million is earmarked for a new classroom building at Chabot.

Construction for the project has not begun yet, Barnett said. Chabot officials are looking at different plans and options for this effort.

Montclair resident Joyce Rose, who said she wasn't aware of the changes at Chabot, said she isn't bothered by the new admission prices and hopes the restructuring doesn't have a bad effect on the programs and activities her children enjoy.

"I think (the changes) are better than completely closing," Rose said.

Former City Councilman Dick Spees, chairman of Chabot's marketing committee, views the changes as necessary, given the economy's effect on places like Chabot.

"This is not negative at all," Spees said. "The future for Chabot is very bright. We're rethinking, re-engineering the facility to really make it a viable place for everybody."