Lime Hollow News
NEW YORK SENATOR JAMES L. SEWARD (51st DISTRICT) TO AWARD MAJOR GRANT TO LIME HOLLOW CENTER’S NEW VISITOR CENTER CAMPAIGN
Ceremony to be held at new McLean Road building site: Saturday, February 5, 2005 at 11:30 a.m.
Cortland, NY – The Lime Hollow Center for Environment & Culture (LHCEC) today announced it has received confirmation of a major grant from New York Senator James L. Seward’s (51st Senatorial District) toward its “Ready to Grow” new visitor center campaign. A formal press conference and public announcement, that will include a presentation by Senator Seward, will be held at the LHCEC’s new visitor center site on McLean Road, west of Cortland, NY. The presentation will be facilitated by Cortland County Business Development Corporation and Industrial Development Agency executive director, Linda Hartsock -- and will include comments from LHCEC’s executive director, Dr. Charles Yaple (and newly installed board president, Doug DeRancy).
When: Saturday, February 5th, at 11:30 a.m.
Where: LHCEC new visitor center building lot (one lot to the east of 332 McLean Road, approx. 2 miles west from Route 281
What: Senator James L. Seward (51st district) will formally award LHCEC a major grant toward its “Ready to Grow” new visitor center campaign
About the campaign: Launched at its 10th Anniversary celebration in October 2003, the LHCEC “Ready to Grow” campaign is an initiative to raise public funds toward the construction and opening of the non-profit organization’s new visitor center on McLean Road, in Cortland NY (near the Tompkins County border). With $250,000 raised to date from the Center’s membership, board, grants, and the surrounding Cortland and Tompkins County communities – including the innate cost of the donated, highly unique log structure itself (valued at $100,000) – the LHCEC broke ground on the structure in December 2004, has completed the building’s foundation, will begin erecting the log walls on February 3rd, and expects the building to be enclosed/protected by end of February 2005…thereby completing the first phase of the project; a second phase (mechanical systems, interior finishing, etc.) will commence thereafter, as the campaign allows. Fostered by its Board of Directors, the “Ready to Grow” campaign is currently underway, and included numerous sponsorship and naming opportunities for generous granting organizations, corporate sponsors, and members of the community.
While the Center intends to continue its school programs and other activities at its existing location and trailhead on 3091Gracie Road (near the Tunison Laboratory of Aquatic Science) – the organization expects the new McLean Road structure and trailhead to provide Board and staff with much-needed, modern, and environmentally minded space for additional programs; the visitor center will also afford LHCEC opportunities to generate self-sustaining revenue streams such as a nature-oriented gift shop and landscaping/nursery services.
About LHCEC: A member-supported, non-profit organization whose mission is the protection of unique natural assets of the Lime Hollow area (on the borders of Cortland and Tompkins Counties), LHCEC holds 377 acres of protected land, offers 7.5 miles of marked, maintained, and open-to-the-public interpretive and hiking trails. It also hosts dozens of public and school environmental and outdoor education programs each year. The organization celebrated its 10th Anniversary in October of 2003.