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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Parks and Recreation
411 West First Street • Duluth, Minnesota 55802
218-730-4309 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact Kelli Latuska,
Public Information Officer at 218-730-5309
DATE: 8/19/2021
SUBJECT: Media Alert: Hartley Nature Center breaking ground on building expansion
BY: Kate Van Daele, Public Information Officer

M E D I A   A L E R T

Hartley Nature Center breaking ground on building expansion

Friday, August 20, 11:00 am

Hartley Nature Center

Duluth, MN – Hartley Nature Center (HNC) is breaking ground on their building expansion project on Friday, August 20 at 11:00 a.m. The building addition will enable the center to expand programs and services to better meet community needs, and will include:

  • Two new classrooms.
  • New restrooms.
  • Community gathering space
  • Expanded equipment rental
  • Additional office and storage spaces 

“We are thrilled to be breaking ground,” said Tom O’Rourke, Executive Director of Hartley Nature Center. “Now more than ever it’s important to help people build deeper connections with nature, children especially. The building expansion will allow our core programs to grow, while providing space for us to continue to develop new offerings for the community.”

Representatives from Hartley Nature Center and the City of Duluth, along with project architect LHB and Construction Manager Gardner Builders, will be on hand for the groundbreaking.

The 2.5-million-dollar project is funded in part by a Legacy grant from the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, alongside an on-going capital campaign undertaken by Hartley Nature Center. Construction is anticipated to take eight months.

“This project is critical to the future of Hartley Nature Center and environmental education in our region,” O’Rourke said. “While COVID-related cost increases are necessitating a last fundraising push, we are excited to be moving forward with construction.”

For more information about the project and how you can get involved, watch Hartley’s social media and website, or contact Tom O’Rourke at director@hartleynature.org.

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Hartley Nature Center is an independent, nonprofit, environmental education organization located in the beautiful 660-acre Hartley Park in Duluth, MN. Hartley Nature Center is dedicated to inspiring lifelong connections to nature through education, play, and exploration.