Progress showing for new nature center

Government officials won't pull out the ceremonial shovel until next Friday, but anyone who drives along North Kingshighway near the intersection of Interstate 55 can tell that ground has already been broken for a conservation campus project at Cape Girardeau County Park North.

A big dirt path has already been carved from the park's grassy fields as a future entranceto the 20,000-square-foot nature center to be built.

Although the contractor has begun work, it is still not clear whether the park will have one entrance or two. Brad Wright, an architect with Peckham and Wright Architects Inc. from Columbia, Mo., said discussions are still ongoing.

Presiding County Commissioner Gerald Jones has not been able to reach Missouri Department of Transportation officials about the entrance issue, but said it was his understanding that the current Kingshighway entrance would remain open to the point of the flag memorial, where a security gate will be installed. Beyond the gate will be a private drive for Bruce Watkins, the park superintendent who lives in the home on the county park property.

"That's what we agreed on, but I haven't seen the paperwork yet," Jones said.

Barry Horst, a project development engineer with MoDOT, said the state favors the idea of moving the main entrance to the park across from the entrance to Memorial Park Cemetery. However, he said his knowledge of the project is limited.

MoDOT officials who are closely involved with the project were attending meetings out of town and could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Preparing roadway

The work was contracted out by the Missouri Department of Conservation and awarded to Coil Construction of Columbia, Mo., for $4.89 million. The contract includes the building, an access road and a parking lot.

Most of the work that has been done so far has been on the road, but some leveling has been done to prepare the ground for the building.

"We're building the roads now to provide access to the park while we're building the building," said Ron Hanson, project manager with the conservation department's design and development division. "The building will sit right over the old road."

Plans call for the facility to showcase indoor exhibits and provide interactive programs. The entire campus grounds, which includes 50 acres of forest, will include landscaping, trails, development of a marsh, construction of a 75-seat amphitheater and a replica of a trapper's cabin -- if the entire project reaches fruition. The county commission has issued $4.75 million in bonds that the conservation department will pay back over 10 years. The rest of the current contract will be paid for by the conservation department and with private donations. The broader scope of the project could cost as much as $7.3 million, officials have said, but much of that depends on securing private or federal funds.

The project, at least the building and the main infrastructure, is slated for completion in late 2004.

"This is a project worth waiting for, and it's something the residents of Southeast Missouri will be proud of when it's finished," said A.J. Hendershott, outreach and education regional supervisor with the conservation department.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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