FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: AUGUST 12, 1999
CONTACT:
Jen Larson (National Park Foundation) 202/5301487
George Price (Boston Harbor Islands) 617/223-8666
Kari Bjorhus (Coca-Cola Foundation) 404/676-2532
Boston – Hundreds of kids from the Greater Boston Boys and Girls Clubs came to Boston Harbor today to help The Coca-Cola Foundation and the National Park Service open the newest addition to Boston’s newest National Park: the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area Discovery Center. University of Massachusetts President William Bulger served as Master of Ceremonies. The Discovery Center is funded by a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation through the National Park Foundation and offers visitors a unique virtual tour of Boston Light and Little Brewster Island, Grape Island and George’s Islands, as well as a soaring trip "as the gull flies" over all 30 islands in the Park. "
The American people are the true beneficiaries of partnerships such as the one that created this wonderful new resource at Boston Harbor Islands," said Jackie Lowey, Deputy Director, National Park Service. "It is my hope that the Discovery Centers in development at Parks across the country will instill in children of all ages a strong and lasting appreciation for National Parks and the opportunities they provide for learning."
The Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area Discovery Center, located at the United States Courthouse on South Boston’s waterfront, focuses on the education of children in the greater Boston area who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience the natural resources and history found on the islands. In addition to interactive exhibits and interpretive panels about the islands, an activity guide for families and teachers also will be available at the Discovery Center. It is estimated that every year 600,000 people will utilize the federal courthouse grounds, where the Center is located.
National Park Discovery Centers are funded by a $1.5 million grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation through the National Park Foundation. Equipped with the latest learning tools, the centers—being developed at 12 National Parks—will allow visitors to explore animal habitats, wetlands, marine life, and soil samples, among other activities. Each center will have its own special features, from a "touch-tank" with hermit crabs and sea urchins to a working grist mill and adobe oven where kids can prepare local food specialties. The Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area Discovery Center is the first Discovery Center to open; the Center at Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site is scheduled to debut in January of 2000.
"National Parks offer unparalleled learning experiences for visitors," said Donald R. Greene, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation. "The Coca-Cola Foundation is committed to making innovative learning opportunities possible, and our partnership with the National Park Foundation allows us to fulfill that mission while also enhancing some of America’s most inspirational places: our National Parks."
The Boston Harbor Islands were added to the National Park System in 1996. The 30 islands contain fragile coastal environments and landscapes long since vanished from the nearby mainland. The islands are at the doorstep of more than seven million people, two million of whom can reach them within minutes via public transportation.
"National Parks are a wonderful illustration of the story of America," said Jim Maddy, President of the National Park Foundation. "The new Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area Discovery Center offers children a unique introduction to these beautiful islands, and will almost certainly instill an appreciation for this park that will last for years to come. We are grateful to The Coca-Cola Foundation for their vision and creativity in making this wonderful experience possible, and we look forward to opening Discovery Centers for eleven other National Parks in the near future." The Boston Harbor Islands offer a resource that has no parallel in the United States. The 30 islands and peninsulas have a collection of natural, geologic, cultural, and historic features within urban Boston where visitors find opportunities for solitude and personal renewal, and land- and water-based education and recreation. The park includes the only drumlin field in the United States that intersects a coast, formed by the glaciers some 15,000 years ago. Overall the island complex includes 1,200 acres of land, archeological resources, historic sites, open space, wildlife habitats, and 35 miles of relatively undeveloped shoreline; all inside an area of 50 square miles and within view of downtown Boston and other harbor communities.
The Island Alliance spearheaded the effort to develop the Boston Harbor Islands
National Park Area Discovery Center. The Alliance is a member of the Partnership
of federal, state, and local organizations - including the National Park Service
- that manages the park (see below for full listing). An Advisory Council ensures
public involvement in charting the park’s future. The Island Alliance was established
in 1996 solely to provide financial support to the Boston Harbor Islands national
park area. It works to attract investment and support for the park from the
private sector, coordinating outside activities to provide necessary strategic
and financial resources. It assists directly with the support of mainland facilities,
such as the visitor contact station at the federal courthouse, which includes
a retail outlet, food service, and the Discovery Center.
The National Park Foundation is the official nonprofit partner of the National
Park Service. Created by Congress in 1967, the Foundation raises support from
corporations, foundations, and individuals to help preserve and enhance America’s
National Parks. Over the past five years, NPF has raised more than $42 million
in direct support for the National Parks. The Coca-Cola Foundation has contributed
nearly $100 million to education worldwide. Foundation funding supports partnerships
between universities and local schools, global education programs and "first-generation"
scholarships to help students become the first in their family to attend college,
among other initiatives.
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Editor’s Note: A complete list of National Park receiving Discovery Center grants is attached, as is a list of Boston Harbor Islands Partnership Members.
Biscayne National Park
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Gateway National Recreation Area
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
Rock Creek Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
San Antonio Missions National Historic Park
Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (joint
project)
National Park Service
United States Coast Guard
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management
Metropolitan District Commission
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
City of Boston
Boston Redevelopment Authority
Thompson Island Outward Bound Education Center
The Trustees of Reservations
Island Alliance
Boston Harbor Islands Advisory Council (2 members)