Video
The video portion of the "A Dream Taking Shape" DVD consists of a montage of images of Presque
Isle, drawings and images of the Tom Ridge Center, and footage of Tom Ridge addressing an audience.
Audio Transcript
There's no other place like it in the world. Welcome to Presque Isle. Here, as botanist O.E.
Jennings once noted: "You can observe six centuries of ecological succession within just three
short miles." That only begins to describe this wonder of the Great Lakes.
Soon, thousands of people will be learning the story of Presque Isle when they visit a place also unlike any other in the Great Lakes region: The Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle. This state-of-the-art center will share the many treasures of Presque Isle with nature enthusiasts, educators, researchers, tourists, and other visitors.
Of course, nobody could be more pleased with this extraordinary facility now taking shape than Tom Ridge himself. Tom has been visiting Presque Isle since he was a boy.
Tom Ridge: We used to come out here all the time. On Memorial Day, and July 4th, and Labor Day sooner or later everybody would come down and we would get there in time for breakfast and we'd stay until the sun goes down. And all you had to do was take advantage of what this place offers you. And, we've done that time and time again and I suspect that Pennsylvania families and others hopefully will do it in the future as well. So, it's a very special place.
Presque Isle, which is French for "nearly an island," is a seven-mile strip of land that thrusts itself dramatically into the waters of Lake Erie. Today, "the peninsula," as local residents call it, is home to Presque Isle State Park and a remarkable array of plant, animal, bird, and aquatic life.
More than four million people visit the park each year to swim, fish, bird watch, and more. Six different ecological zones exist on Presque Isle; from the bay and shoreline, to ponds and marshes, to old growth forests. Each of these zones has a plant and animal community unique to its environment. The peninsula's location along the Atlantic Flyway and the diversity of natural habitats make Presque Isle State Park a haven for bird life. The park is consistently named among the top birding sites in the United States. More than 320 different species of birds, including 45 listed as "species of special concern" have been observed.
Of course, people are more than welcome here, too. Presque Isle is a day-use park that provides year-round recreation. Bicyclists, runners, roller-bladers, and cross-country skiers have more than 15 miles of trails to explore. Swimmers and sunbathers enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches of the peninsula lakeside. And anglers experience some of the best fishing in North America.
In first announcing the center four years ago, then-governor Tom Ridge pointed out how the park is being improved all the time.
Tom Ridge: Over the past several years, with Secretary Oliver's terrific leadership, and Harry's extraordinary stewardship, we've improved the marinas, the bike paths, and the water and sewer system and the cabins, and added winter recreation programs.
When fully completed, The Tom Ridge Environmental Center will give the appearance of rising naturally from its surroundings at the entrance of Presque Isle State Park. Visitors will discover a 75-foot observation tower, 7,000 square-feet of exhibits, an orientation theater, and a research wing.
The Tom Ridge center will be many things to many people: an educational resource with displays, exhibits, and classrooms; a research center for the study of Great Lakes watersheds and life on Presque Isle; a travel destination with interactive exhibits, a retail nature shop, and more; and a one-stop-shop of environmental agencies and organizations.
Tom Ridge: It's not only a place where visitors can come and learn about Presque Isle State Park and learn about northwestern Pennsylvania, there's an opportunity here for some extraordinary research, because this is such an extraordinary ecological community here, plus we have all the research that is potentially associated with the Great Lakes.
The Center will feature 13 research labs and education rooms, including a plant lab, a greenhouse, an aquatic lab, an aquarium, a GPS map-making lab, a library, and archival areas. Exhibits will introduce visitors to all kinds of fascinating topics: from the power of waves shaping the peninsula to legendary myths about monsters of the Great Lakes.
The Center is becoming a reality thanks to a unique partnership of public and private resources. As a Friend of the Tom Ridge Center, you can help assure the success and the continuing enhancement of this extraordinary facility. Naming opportunities still exist in several areas of the Center. Gifts of general support can also be made at varying levels. Funds will be used to expand and enhance the Center's educational programs, museum exhibits, and research opportunities.
We invite you to become a Friend of the Tom Ridge Center. Your support can help make this extraordinary education, research, and tourism facility on the waters of Lake Erie a "shore thing."
©2005 Friends of The Tom Ridge Center