Log cabin home currently being remodeled to become the Beech Creek Visitor Center.
Plans for the Visitor Center include: educational displays, a wildlife observation deck, gift shop, research library, meeting rooms, storage, and kitchen facilities for volunteers. The building does require some renovations and repairs in order to be used for these purposes.
Providing a research library for the public and especially for our students is an important way to enhance our educational programs as well as offer a place for the general public to research horticultural, environmental and gardening topics.
The BCBGNP will benefit from having a dedicated area to organize our records and administer our programs. A meeting area will allow the BCBGNP to provide space for our membership meetings, Board of Trustee meetings, and committee meetings. In the past, BCBGNP meetings were held at various places throughout Stark County and, also, outdoors at Beech Creek.
The Hoover Foundation of North Canton recently granted us the funds needed for our Visitor Center renovations. Some items will be accomplished with volunteers & others with hired contractors. We expectthe entire renovation process to take several months.
We hope to have the Visitor Center open to the public by July 2010.