Residents of the village are invited to attend the 6:00 p.m. ceremony atthe facility site located at 419 Trout Farm Road near the intersection ofBoughton and Schmidt Roads, adjacent to Hidden Lakes Historic Trout Farmand the East Branch of the DuPage River. Representatives of the BolingbrookPark District and Wight & Company, the sustainable design-builder for theproject, will be in attendance.

Taking its cue from the 17-acre wooded site, the nature center has beenplaced between two large oak trees creating a "tree house" feeling. Decksaround the oak trees will give visitors a chance to be immersed in therestored woodland ecosystem.

"Visitors will explore amazing indoor exhibits and head outside toinvestigate the natural world. The site's massive oaks, woodlandwildflowers and geology are begging to be discovered," said Alice Eastman,Superintendent of Natural Resources.

The new facility will house two early education classrooms, two multi-userooms, staff offices and interpretive displays. The 7,000 square footbuilding has been registered with the US Green Building Council and isdesigned to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED(TM)-NC) Platinum standards.

Sustainable features of the project include a green roof, a permeable paverentry drive and parking areas, and harvested timber from the site.Stormwater management and black water cleansing through constructedwetlands have been designed to fit in the context of the building and itssurroundings. Multi-use trails will enhance the functionality of the sitewith minimal disruption to the environment.

"When I first saw the project site, I immediately recognized one of themost endangered ecosystems of the Midwest -- an oak and hickory woodland,"said Jay Womack, ASLA, LEED AP, Wight's director of sustainable design."The restoration of the native flora that once flourished below thesemassive oak trees, some of which measure sixty feet across, will bring backan Illinois ecosystem that most people have never seen before."

About the Bolingbrook Park District

Bolingbrook Park District is a leader in the park and recreation field. Itsmission is to "provide park and recreation services in a fiscallyresponsible manner to help residents achieve quality of life." Over 2,100opportunities are offered annually for pleasure, health, wellness andpersonal growth. Bolingbrook Park District is a place where friendships areborn and life long skills are cultivated. For more information, visitwww.bolingbrookparks.org.

About Wight & Company

Wight & Company is a leader in integrated solutions for the builtenvironment. Its professional staff of more than 165 specialists has beenproviding clients with architecture and engineering services since 1939,and design-build and construction management services for more than adecade. As the architect for one of the first LEED certified buildings inthe country, the first LEED Certified school in Illinois and one of ahandful of LEED Platinum buildings in the nation, Wight is committed togreen design principles. It maintains offices in downtown Chicago, Darien,Ill, and South Bend, Ind. For more information, visit www.wightco.com.