Prairie Heritage Center Upgrades Continue
by Mari Radtke
As the Prairie Heritage rotunda upgrade continues significant display planning and fundraising, the lower level has undergone some inexpensive yet powerful transformations.
The Luedeke Library was unveiled just a couple weeks ago. Near that is a lower level rotunda-suzed room dedicated to youth education and activity. The space features a permanent whole body habitat experience for toddler and young kids. It features other hands on that rotates 3 times per year, keeping fresh and seasonally relevant. STEM toys are going away soon and summer camp activities are expected to appear in May.
A woodland/savanna paint mural on the stair case is underway. At the bottom of the stairs aquariums a wetland, real life pondscape has been maintained. Timmy the Turtle has been joined by Tina the Turtle, both captured from local lakes. A large aquarium with fish from local water holes and lakes show the life of area lakes. Sunfish, croppy, even a large mouth bass can be watched.
The cement floor has been given a stylish paint job. And the staircase wall in the wetland area has been given a themed paint job. The wall at the base of the stairs pays tribute to the construction of Prairie Heritage Center that began in the early 2000s. Field trips are scheduled to begin in late April and throughout the school year.
A trip to Prairie Heritage Center overlooking the Little Sioux River on Yellow Avenue is free to visitors. Center hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm and first and third Saturdays from 1:00 to 4:00pm. Hours may be adjust for the summer season.