GALION — Gratitude engulfed Bill Fisher when he started to see the vision evolve for Lowe-Volk Park’s family friendly nature center.
“Seeing all the support come together for this … it’s a vote of confidence,” said Fisher, Crawford County Park District Director.
It was about two years ago when a local resident came to the Lowe-Volk Park with his grandson and he asked the simple, non-pretentious question: what’s new?
When Fisher and other staff members had trouble answering the question, they met to get a satisfactory answer.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What could we do to make our nature center more kid-friendly and interactive so they can learn more about the environment?’” Fisher said.
That’s how the idea to build and design a tree emerged. The tree would reach the ceiling, have a slide, an eagle perched on its nest, various nature sounds — the ideas flourished. By August 2014, Crawford Park District struck a deal with Mansfield architectural firm Splashmakers LLC. Shortly thereafter, they came up with a name for the project: the Kids Learning Tree Exhibit.
The tree underwent construction by Columbus company Optic Nerve Art in December 2015. It cost a whopping $48,250 to complete, and nearly all of it was donated by community companies and private donors.
“There were lots of people who gave (to the project),” Fisher said. “It tells me they believe in what the park’s doing.”
The first children to enjoy the interactive, 17-foot tall tree fashioned with an eagle’s nest, underground cave, instructional panels, nature sounds and a spiral staircase leading up to the tree house was March 1, 2016.
“I hope they learn, whether outside or inside, to love nature and have an appreciation of what it means to them personally — and to take that into adult life,” Fisher said. “I want kids to have a respect of the earth, so they someday take care of our natural resources.”
He said the tree can fit up to 12, maybe 15 children at once. It’s pocketed with interactive information on trees and different tree-dwelling critters.
The 38-acre park and nature center is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tree exhibit is free.
