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    New Audubon Center Nears Completion

    Construction on the area around the new Grange Insurance Audubon Center has been over three years in the making, and the long wait is about to finally pay off. The new conservation and nature center will be hosting their Grand Opening on August 28th. The 18,000-square foot center marks just a small piece of the larger ongoing redevelopment of the Scioto Audubon Metro Park that will eventually take up nearly all of the land west of the railroad tracks on the Whittier Peninsula.

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    We recently chatted with Heather Starck, Director of the Audubon Center, to find out more about what to expect from this new urban amenity.

    Walker Evans) Can you tell us a bit about the timeline of the project, what sort of grand opening celebrations will be held, and when the public will be able to come check it out?

    Heather Starck) The Grand Opening of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center and Scioto Audubon Metro Park is August 28th. We will be open and free to the public after that time. The theme for the Grand Opening Weekend August 29 and 30th is “Explore the Nature of Change”.

    You can join Audubon educators on nature walks and discover the extraordinary urban natural world. You will witness the remarkable change of a brownfield to a brightfield and see dragonflies, butterflies, birds, and native plants. You can also learn how to change your backyard into a haven for wildlife.

    Center tours will showcase the building itself, a benchmark for environmentally responsible best practices (from light bulbs to a geothermal heating/cooling system and recycled content furniture), and will provide examples of practices to consider for your home or business.

    Children and adults are invited to explore our outside play areas, enjoy puppet shows, face painting, story times, and create art that reflects the beauty of nature.

    You can also change your view of Columbus by scaling Metro Parks’ 35-foot climbing wall!

    WE) Have the fundraising efforts for the project been a challenge for you with the recession hitting right in the middle of the process?

    HS) It has been challenging to raise the last dollars needed to complete the campaign in the current economic climate.  We are confident that we will raise the remainder which is currently about $700,000.  We have a couple of key large donor prospects still interested in being involved in the project and we are hoping after the Grand Opening people will understand what a wonderful gift the Center is to Columbus. National Audubon Society is doing some innovative things during the recession for fundraising including a recent internal campaign where Audubon staff and board members nationwide gave almost a $1M dollars in donations to their own organization to help us meet our financial goals.

    WE) Being both an educational and recreational facility, what sort of crowds do you expect to attract to the center on a regular basis?

    HS) That is a great question. There will be opportunities for the whole community at the Center. During the school day, we will be working with local students to improve their science process skills and engage them in our conservation work. We will offer special classes for many different age groups and interest groups. Throughout the year we will offer special events such as festivals – for instance, on Halloween this year we will offer a safe alternative to trick or treat. Urban dwellers can also come get their morning coffee and sit on our terraces and relax and bird watch or enjoy yoga classes on the lawn.

    WE) I recall reading in a previous article that the building is being construction with some level of LEED certification in mind. Can you tell us a bit about what that means for visitors?

    HS) We are seeking Silver LEED certification and hoping we may even achieve a GOLD certification. For a conservation organization, building a sustainable building is important to help us achieve our mission. We looked at the design process from an education standpoint. Every green feature in the building was designed so that homeowners, small business owners, or even apartment dwellers could learn how to live more lightly on the earth. Visitors can learn how to manage their storm water, compost, improve their indoor air quality, save money and use less fossil fuels by using alternative heating and cooling systems like our geothermal system. The building itself is an educational tool.

    WE) The Scioto Audubon Metro Park is located very close to the Scioto Mile as well as the future development of the Columbus Commons park space. Can you tell us how the Metro Park could both complement these other downtown greenspaces, as well as what type of specific draw it could have over the others.

    HS) The Scioto Audubon Metro Park is an Important Bird Area (IBA). It is designated as part of an international program. Over 200 species of birds have been spotted over the years. Audubon conservation staff and Metro Parks resource managers are working hard to restore the forest edge along the river and provide new habitats for a variety of species of birds and animals. Half of the park will be dedicated “natural space” with trails and overlooks. We will be setting up a bird banding station and working on citizen science projects.

    The other side of the park will provide recreational opportunities including the Midwest’s largest outdoor climbing wall.

    We are connected to the Scioto Mile by the bike path and are very excited about the project. I do feel like the two areas have a different focus but complement each other well.

    If you ask me, the more green space the better! Every community needs good green spaces and parks. We will be working with all of these projects to help us create better forested areas for the migratory birds that use this area along the river.

    WE) And lastly, are there any upcoming events at the center beyond the grand opening that we should know about?

    HS) We are hosting our Opening Gala “Wing-Ding on the Whittier: A Night Out with Nature” on Friday September 25th at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $150 and proceeds will support educational programming at the Center for Columbus area schoolchildren.

    More information can be found online at grange.audubon.org.

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    Walker Evans
    Walker Evanshttps://columbusunderground.com
    Walker Evans is the co-founder of Columbus Underground, along with his wife and business partner Anne Evans. Walker has turned local media into a full time career over the past decade and serves on multiple boards and committees throughout the community.
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