PUNTA GORDA — Tricia LaPointe cheered Monday as the truckers honked at her on the way into the future Peace River Wildlife Center campus.
After the land was cleared, the convoy of trucks dumped loads of fill dirt onto the 900 Henry St. property for the next phase of the $6 million construction project.
LaPointe, executive director of the center, housed on city property at Ponce de Leon Park in Punta Gorda, said phases of construction can be viewed on the PRWC YouTube channel.
“I’ve never been so happy to see dirt before,” LaPointe said. “We are still raising funds and are having fundraisers.”
Donors and supporters can track the progress of construction of the education center.
“We will have drone footage of the site that can be watched on YouTube,” she said.
The Peace River Wildlife Center partnered with Punta Gorda to use a 4.2-acre parcel of city property to construct the center in the next 18 to 24 months.
LaPointe said the design incorporates sustainable building practices that minimize the environmental footprint while maximizing the “positive impact” on wildlife and community engagement.
Longtime board member Jay Glynn said the center ran out of space at Ponce de Leon Park and it’s the perfect time for the nonprofit to build a new center.
“Seeing this dirt means it’s finally happening,” he said. “We know this is going to make a huge difference in educating locals and guests about all of the things Peace River Wildlife Center does in this community.”
Board member Bob White, who is also the executive director of the Charlotte County Chamber of Commerce, said the new facility will bring lots more engagement to Punta Gorda.
“I really can see more children on field trips to the Peace River Wildlife Center,” he said. “They could come from Lee County and Sarasota County as well as Charlotte County. It’s exciting for residents and visitors the educational and volunteer opportunities.”
To raise money, the center is selling $45 tickets to the What a Hoot comedy show 5 p.m. Oct. 19, at the Punta Gorda Isles Civiv Association, 2001 Shreve St., Punta Gorda. The $70 VIP tickets include two beverages during the show, an after-party at the Wyvern hotel, and a meet-and-greet with comedians Mark Evans and Al Ernst.
The board is also selling engraved bricks for the new education center. They range from $250 to $525, depending on the design. They will be a part of the center for the next 100 years. There are also still habitat naming opportunities through levels of donations.
There are tours of the Peace River Wildlife Center from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 3400 Ponce de Leon Parkway, in Punta Gorda. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. There’s also a gift shop.
REHAB IS FOR THE BIRDSPeace River Wildlife Center has a separate hospital that will remain in the same location in Punta Gorda after the education center is built.
It treats about 2,500 injured, orphaned or displaced Florida native wildlife animals annually. It also handles after-hour wildlife emergencies.
As the injured animals, birds, turtles, owls, and other creatures heal, some are released back into the wild. Many live out their lives at the wildlife center.
For more information, call 941-637-3830 or visit:
prwildlife.org
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