East Fairmount Park Reservoir to open again thanks to planned $16M center

After 45 years of inaccessibility, the East Fairmount Park Reservoir is poised to open again to the public.

The project will begin with Mayor Michael Nutter announcing the launch of The Discovery Center on Tuesday afternoon. This $16 million outdoor education center will provide 50 acres of open space within close proximity to residents of Strawberry Mansion and for city residents who make use of Fairmount Park.

Outward Bound and National Audubon Society, two international, environmental nonprofits, began planning and fundraising for The Discovery Center in 2009. It will have indoor classrooms and many outdoor perks, including trails, a canoe launching platform and climbing walls.

Construction of a high ropes course will be the project's first phase — a map of the course can be viewed above.

The education at the center will focus on outdoor activities and environmental conservation tactics for the K-12 years, encouraging students to apply scientific concepts.

The Discovery Center will offer access to the 8-foot deep, 37-acre lake, as well as platforms for observing more than 130 species of birds.

The Discovery Center in Philadelphia will nearly double Outward Bound and National Audubon Society's educational reach to 10,000 students.

The organizations expect The Discovery Center will be completed no later than Summer 2017.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal