Cuyahoga Valley National Park Opening New Crowdfunded Visitor’s Center

Photo Courtesy of Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park broke ground earlier this year when it began construction on its new Boston Mill Visitor Center.

What exactly entails a new visitor center? Well, the project as a whole cost around $6.75 million, meaning quite a lot, actually. The original Boston Mill Visitor Center is a historic building, making its foundation and general structure in need of rebuilding.

Because the National Park Service can’t do this project alone, The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park is managing the project. Patty Stevens is the coordinator.

It’s not about taking away from the historic aspect of the park, rather, it’s about adding to it.

The visitor’s center will be right in front of the railroad tracks, and will host information and resources about the park. It will also be a designated green, LEED building, meaning that it will be eco-friendly.

The project has a more personal touch, as all of its lead contractors are based in Ohio. These include Peninsula Architects, Environmental Design Group and Regency Construction Services.

Not to mention, much of the project’s funding has been through donations and contributions. Families, grants and foundations have all come together to fund this new visitor’s center. It is almost a completely crowdsourced financial endeavor.

Construction began in February and will continue throughout the year. The Conservancy says that they are planning on opening the visitor’s center in 2019.