GROUNDBREAKING OF THE WINIFRED W. HAGGART NATURE CENTER AT FLORACLIFF NATURE SANCTUARY

January 21, 2010

Floracliff Nature Sanctuary in southern Fayette County has broken ground for the future Winifred W. Haggart Nature Center at 8000 Elk Lick Falls Rd.

The 2040-square-foot Winifred W. Haggart Nature Center, designed by James W. Potts Architects, will serve as a visitor’s center, classroom, meeting room, library, and a location for employee offices. The building will also have restrooms, a kitchenette, and storage facilities and will be fully handicap accessible. The classroom will allow the organization to expand educational programming that focuses on the natural environment of the Inner Bluegrass. Anderson Communities has signed on to be the general contractor.

The means to build the Nature Center was made possible by a bequest from the late Winfred W. Haggart. Ms. Haggart was a close friend of Dr. Mary Wharton, who founded Floracliff Nature Sanctuary. Both women taught at Georgetown College, where Dr. Wharton headed the biology department and Ms. Haggart headed the art department. Knowing Mary Wharton (who died in 1991) had recognized the need for indoor space to facilitate and enhance the accomplishment of Floracliff’s mission, Ms. Haggart left this bequest after her own death in 2002.

The building and surrounding parking lot will include many elements of green design. Permeable materials will be used for the parking area. The building will incorporate high efficiency windows and insulation, SEER rated HVAC system, metal roofing, and locally harvested wood for the interior.

We hope to finish the project in early summer of 2010. Once the building has been constructed, we will be hosting an Open House celebration. More details to come.

For additional information, please call Beverly James at (859) 351-7770 or email at floracliff@aol.com.

###

Spring 2009 - A message from our new president
Winter 2009 - Floracliff’s Old Trees: Rays of hope for the Inner Bluegrass Region

Spring 2008 - Mary Wharton Scholars Program
Winter 2008 - Problematic garden plants

Fall 2007 - Purple martin housing
Summer 2007 - Bush honeysuckle research project
Spring 2007 - Floracliff selling rare prints

WTVQ Kentucky's Backroads
04.30.2009

3 Wild Ky. Places Featured in New Book
Herald-Leader, 11.15.2008

Spring on the South Side: Floracliff Preserves Mary Wharton's Lasting Legacy
Chevy Chaser Magazine, 04.2008

Happy Hunting: With Help of GPS, Geo-scavengers Find a Great Time Out in Woods
Herald-Leader, 02.17.2008

Nurturing Nature: Floracliff Helps Preserve Kentucky Palisades
Herald-Leader, 03.24.2007