The Guelph Nature Centre is launching their first Star Party on Saturday as they lead up to their legacy project with the Rotary Club next year.
The legacy project, the new Gueph Nature Centre, is projected to open in the Fall of 2020 for their 100th anniversary also known as the Centennial Project.
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will bring their telescopes and lead the star party where participants can gather around the shore of Guelph Lake between 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at a time and place where there is little light pollution to gaze at the stars.
“A lot of exciting things are going to be happening between now and Fall 2020,” said Sara Wilbur, executive director of the Grand River Conservation Foundation.
Two years ago, Rotary announced a $600,000 commitment towards building a new Nature Centre that includes an observatory and planetarium in Guelph Lake Conservation Area.
Two years later, their vision is going as planned. with a majority of the funds going to the nature project and some additional support for trails connecting to the Rotary forest and the stargazing program.
Construction is projected to begin in the Spring of 2020 and will replace the current Guelph Lake Nature Centre.
Wilbur said the Grand River Conservation Authority is trying to create a hub to welcome the 200,000 people that visit across the year.
“We know it is going to be a really good support for park visitors as well as the students,” said Wilbur.
She said their goal is to ultimately create a section of the park that is open year round.
“Right now are not able to open the park in the winter simply because we don't have the resources.”
Wilbur said the location of the park plays a huge role in the Rotary Club’s perspective of the project.
“There arents too many cities where just a couple of kilometres out of town you've got this absolutely gorgeous lake and I think the Rotary Club has shown real vision,” said Wilbur.
“We're really excited and with the combination of Rotary getting involved and the observatory and the trails that are being developed, what we hope will happen is that Guelph lake will become even better connected into the community.”
