ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Mayor Esther Manheimer, Asheville City Council members and Western North Carolina Nature Center staff participated in a ribbon cutting today for the Gateway to the Southern Appalachians exhibit, a renovated entrance, gift shop and farmyard with a brand-new butterfly garden experience.
The event was held at 1 p.m., Thursday, April 16 at the entrance to the WNC Nature Center, 75 Gashes Creek Road.
Chris Gentile, WNC Nature Center director, Kate Frost, executive director of the Friends of the WNC Nature Center and Manheimer each took to the podium to share a few words before the ribbon cutting. They spoke to a crowd including WNC Nature Center and Friends of the WNC Nature Center staff, as well as WNC Nature Center visitors and members of the media.
Gentile noted that it had been 578 days since Tropical Storm Helene devastated Western North Carolina, including portions of the WNC Nature Center, which delayed the Gateway to the Southern Appalachians project.
“To be honest, I never thought we’d get this project back up and running,” Gentile admitted. “After that day, I don’t think any of us really did. But it’s a true tribute to the dedication, the hard work, the love, honestly, and just an undying spirit, because we got to work back on this project with our contractors about a month after the storm.”
Manheimer acknowledged the hard work of city staff, the WNC Nature Center team and their contractors put into reopening the WNC Nature Center after the storm.
“Compliments to all of you. We see you take a tragedy and turn it into a triumph. You took this downtime, I’m gonna call it, to do some great work and to come back stronger than ever,” Manheimer told the crowd. “With the official opening of the Gateway, you can see the continuing commitment to the facility, to its animals and to the education and enjoyment of our community and visitors.”
“Stronger than ever” was no exaggeration. Manheimer said that spring break attendance at the WNC Nature Center was the highest it has been since 2010, with almost 11,000 guests passing through the gates between April 3-12.
In her remarks, Frost shone a spotlight on the new features of the Gateway, especially the butterfly exhibit.
“At the heart of this transformation is our native pollinator and butterfly garden. The completion of this project comes at a critical time, because pollinators are in decline, including the monarch butterfly,” Frost said. “Not only is it now a beautiful place for people to experience the butterflies, but it’s also a place for them to learn how they can be part of a solution in conservation action.”
The ribbon cutting was conducted by Gentile, Manheimer and Frost, as well as Asheville City Council members Bo Hess and Maggie Ullman.
After the ceremony, themed refreshments were offered to guests, including a monarch butterfly-shaped cookie.
For tickets and more information about the Western North Carolina Nature Center, visit www.wildwnc.org.