Environmental Learning Center to be Built at Caldwell Park

Plans are on track for the construction of a new Environmental Learning Center at the Mahaska County Conservation Board’s Caldwell Park.  The facility will replace the old Conservation Center at the Russell Wildlife Area.  Built in 1986, the 41 x 46 foot pole building has served its purpose for many years, but no longer adequately meets the public demands for conservation events, fieldtrips and meeting space. 

 

The new Environmental Learning Center at Caldwell Park will be a much larger building, closer to Mahaska County’s population center and located on a main road.  This winter the MCCB has been working with the architects from Design Partnerships of Des Moines to create plans for the new ELC.  Midwest Construction Consultants has been hired as the construction manager for the project.  Based on input from public surveys the Conservation Board has identified several design features that will go into the new building, which could include a public banquet hall, a natural history exhibit gallery, a live animal display room, an environmental education lab for student experiments and public programming, and an Iowa conservationists hall of fame.  A conceptual drawing of the new ELC should be ready for public viewing by early summer 2009. 

 

Anyone interested in the project is encouraged to contact MCCB Director, Mike Gipple.  “This is going to be an education center for the public.” said Gipple, “We want to create a facility that will be used by the people and we need to know how we can best meet demands for environmental education and outdoor recreation in this area.”  Public groups or civic organizations that would be interested in a presentation of plans for Caldwell Park and the new Environmental Learning Center can contact the MCCB at 641-673-9327.

 

You can find a complete map of Caldwell Park showing designs for trails and outdoor recreation opportunities on this website!