The Great Smoky Mountains will be getting a new 6,000+ square foot visitors center. The new Oconaluftee Visitor Center will sit adjacent to the exisiting faculity and will include a new visitor building, restrooms, information kiosk as well as redoing the parking lot to make access to and from Newfound Gap Road easier and safe for visitors.
The Great Smoky Mountains Association and the Friends of the Smokies are providing $3 million dollars for it’s construction as well as new maps, exhibits, and other media that educate the estimated 350,000 visitors to the center each year.
The current center will be converted to a multi-purpose center that includes a classroom and will help with community outreach efforts.
The new center is being designed to be as energy efficient as possible and will have several evnironmental friendly features such as geothermal heat and cooling, passive solar, rain water cistern, water saving fixtures, recycled materials and will use native plants as landscaping.
During the late 1930′s the Civilian Conservation Corp built the existing structure as both a Ranger’s Station as well as a courtroom for local Magistrates. The current facility has been in need of renovation for many years as the total number of visitors has far exceeded the capacity of both the center and it’s restrooms.
Officials at the National Park have completed the required environmental impact studys and cleared the way for construction to begin at any time.
Tags: Smoky Mountains
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