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Conservation Board Receives REAP Grant for
Lost Island Nature Center Addition
Photo
Gallery
01/15/05: The Palo Alto County Conservation Board was awarded a REAP grant
for the Nature Center classroom addition project. We had previously received a
CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) grant, but as those funds needed to be
matched locally by more than 50%, and the REAP grant is 100%, we will be
relinquishing the CAT funds and accepting REAP. The grant monies will be used
for the building addition only. The Foundation will continue to do some minimal
fundraising to cover the cost of landscaping around the new addition and for the
purchase of more tables and chairs for the classroom.
Our next step is to meet with an architect so that they can draw
up plans to be bid this winter. We hope to break ground early spring and have
the addition completed by late fall. Watch for details as this project
continues. Continue to check this page for updates.
04/04/05: Construction
of the classroom addition at the Lost Island Nature Center near Ruthven began on
Monday. The Palo Alto County Conservation Board received a REAP (Resource
Enhancement and Protection) grant to help fund the project. The Conservation
Foundation worked with Architects Collaborative of Spencer to finalize building
plans. Dan Cooper Builders of Emmetsburg is the contractor. The Palo Alto
County Engineer�s office and Secondary Roads crew Andy Barnes and Al Grange
started excavation of the basement. The 32�x 50� addition should be completed
by late summer or early fall.
�We are excited to see this project get
underway�, said Miriam Patton, County Naturalist. �The current classroom space
was limited and affected our programming at times. We actually had to turn away
interested students for the hunter safety program last year.� Mary Barrick,
Office Manager comments �The classroom addition will be a great improvement and
we will be able to offer more diverse programming and meet the public�s needs.�
During the month of April and the
first part of May, the footings were done, the basement floor was poured, and
the brick was laid. Some electrical work has been done. No progress
for a couple of weeks in late May and first week in June.
06/05/05: For this
week, the floor joists were put in, the floor was laid, and the walls were put
up.
06/13/05: The rafters
are up. They are working on the shingles.
06/22/05: The
shingling is finished and the addition is enclosed.
10/03/05: The
classroom wall is gone! Contractors
are sheet rocking. The plumbers were here also.
10/12/05: Contractors are
starting to put up the outside siding.
10/14/05: Most of the siding is up on the East side of build
11/01/05: They are
starting to tape & mud the sheetrock.
11/07/05: The ceiling
is textured.
11/13/05: The
classroom was painted this week by Cooper Builders. The rest of the nature
center is also being painted by the PACCB staff.
11/20/05: Cooper
Builders are working in the basement on the ceiling. The plumbers and
electricians are putting in toilets and lights.
11/27/05: Carpet is
being installed.
12/04/05: Week of
clean up.
12/15/05: Cooper
Builders are finishing today! Please take a look at the pictures of the
final project.
Take a look at the
photo gallery.
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