The Helen Schuler Nature Centre will be looking a tad different by 2014.

The nature centre has started plans for new renovations that will almost double its size. The building hasn’t seen any significant renovations since 1984 and is also running out of space for its school programs and displays.

Becky Little, the volunteer and resource development co-ordinator for the nature centre, says the renovations will help them to not have waiting lists for the school programs.

“We can bring down two classes in one bus to save on our busing costs and have two class programs in one,” shares Little.

To raise some money for the renovations, the nature centre has started a recycling campaign called “Another way to be beautiful.”

The nature centre is asking people to bring in old cosmetics, soaps and lotions and hair and nail bottles. Some examples of things you can bring by are lipstick cases, mascara tubes, eyeliner pencils, face and hand lotion jars and tubes, shampoo bottles and nail polish bottles.
People can bring cosmetics to the centre. For each item brought in, two cents will be going towards the Helen Schuler Nature Centre renovations.

The nature centre hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The seasonal hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week.

The renovation designs have been done and the construction is scheduled to start in 2013 and to be completed in 2014.

“While we are doing our renovations we will be operating out of a smaller facility that will be temporarily built in Indian Battle Park, on the opposite level of the high level bridge. So we will be open our regular hours,” says Little.

The nature centre will still be running its full compliment of school programs as well as the accessible programs for ages 2-5, 6-10 and 11-15 as well as its family nature walks every second Sunday.