HEARTLAND REOPENING 'A REBIRTH,' EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS

ing one of Niagara's largest Carolinian forests, Heartland is home to a number of species at risk and features accessible trails meandering through grasslands, wetlands and frog and turtle ponds.

The haven will have the official reopening on Thursday, June 30 of its 14,000-square-foot nature centre, but those arriving will find things have changed.

For one, while outside pavilions on the expanded park-side can still be rented, the nature centre that for years was available to rent for events such as weddings, corporate gatherings, bridal showers and birthday parties, will no longer be available.

About 15 new interactive and educational exhibits featuring meadow and forest elements — including live animals such as Shelly the turtle, Noodles the snake and white tree frogs native to Australia and New Guinea — will greet visitors in the nature centre.

Heartland executive director Elisabeth Graham said the centre was closed to the public to protect vulnerable program participants within key program areas such as the day program for adults with special needs, a wellness program for seniors, woodworking workshops for people with intellectual disabilities and the Nature Explorer program for young children.

But during the long shutdown to the general public, Heartland did some soul searching and decided it needed to return to its roots, she said.

"For us, it's been an opportunity to take a step back and to go back to focus on our vision and our mission,"

said Graham. "So, in some ways it's like a rebirth."

Being forced to close the centre to the general public was an eye-opener, said Graham. "We realized ... how much more we could do with our day programs, and to truly be a nature centre."

Renting out the centre meant any exhibits had to be mobile, and having live animals was largely impractical. "But people expect to see animals when they're in a nature centre," said Graham.

The centre will also soon reopen the Blue Salamander Café, where adults with disabilities will be able to work and get paid, she said.

Numerous donors stepped up to help fund the new exhibits, which will include an Indigenous exhibit on the Turtle Clan. Local businessperson Barry Allen and his wife Mary are among those donors. Allen, who has been a backer of Heartland for at least 15 years, said he feels compelled to do so to support Heartland's central philosophy

of making the haven fully accessible to everyone, regardless of if they have mobility restrictions.

Heartland is committed to preserving natural space for numerous species while new homes are being constructed at a furious pace in the city's south end. "It's an opportunity to experience nature in the middle of the city," said Allen. "It's pretty amazing. It's that idea of preserving (the forest) and sharing it with kids who would otherwise never get an opportunity to experience it. To see what Dan has done is pretty inspiring."

Graham said admission on June 30 is free but people are asked to consider bringing non-perishable food items for Project SHARE, with "species at risk" reusable bags and treat bags available to those who do.

BEHIND THE STORY: : With Heartland Forest set to reopen its nature centre after more than two years, This Week looked at how the forest haven is returning to its roots.