Nature Center at Shaker Lakes
In 1947, the city of Cleveland leased the Shaker Lakes Park to the cities of Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights for the portions of the park which fell between their boundaries. In 1964-65 a proposal was made by Cleveland for construction of a new Clark and Lee Freeway to provide a more direct route from downtown to Interstate 271 which would run on either side of Doan Brook, with it’s intersection at the point where the Shaker Lakes Nature Center now stands.
The Park Conservation Committee, along with 35 garden clubs and six civic organizations opposed the construction. A parent committee was formed, the Committee for Sane Transportation and Environmental Policy (CSTEP), which enacted several strategies to block future construction of the Clark and Lee Freeways. These “included walks for officials and residents through the parkland, discussions with schools in the surrounding communities about the need for nature education, an effort to get citizens to write letters and protest the construction of the freeway and the commissioning of an Audubon Report about the feasibility of a nature center. The Audubon appraisal concluded that, "For the study of conservation and nature in an outdoor laboratory, there is no comparable area to the park within the limits of Greater Cleveland."
In the summer of 1966, recreation programs were held in the lakes area and funding was given to continue with a naturalist for school classes in the fall. On September 15, 1966, The Shaker Lakes Regional Nature Center was formed and incorporated, and fundraising began for the establishment of a building. A lease and permission to build the center was negotiated with the City of Cleveland, while the Park Conservation Committee simultaneously worked toward getting the Center designated as a National Environmental Education Landmark. In 1970, a meeting was held at Shaker Heights Middle School with a presentation to Governor James Rhodes about the proposed freeway. Rhodes subsequently directed that the route for the Clark Freeway be withdrawn from the Interstate System.
Maxwell Norcross, an architect in Cleveland from 1923 to 1970 and a member of the Shaker Heights architectural board designed the nature center. The building was paid for largely through individual contributions and was completed in November 1969. Gary Nelson was hired as the first full-time director in 1971. That same year, the Stearns Memorial Nature Trail and the Wildflower Garden were constructed with contributions from the Shaker Lakes Garden Club. In 1973, the building was remodeled to create additional office and library space. In 1982, the All People's Trail was constructed, followed by the redesign of the Stearns Memorial Trail and the addition of an East Wing in 1985. In 2003, the Nature Center used sustainable building practices to renovate and update its indoor facilities to include upgraded and expanded classrooms, community meeting rooms, a nature experience area, a bird observation station, and the gift shop.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes has indoor and outdoor facilities open to the public and is available for rentals, including birthday parties, weddings, and more. It houses classrooms, a meeting room, exhibit areas, a library, and The Duck Pond, a nature-themed gift store. The Jean Eakin Bird Observation Station, the Murphy Carfagna Wildlife Balcony and a gallery overlook the grounds. There is also an outdoor pavilion, the All People's Trail, and Stearns Woodland Trail in the woodlands surrounding the Nature Center. The 0.4 mile long All People's Trail is a barrier-free, elevated boardwalk, designed to be ADA accessible for visitors with all physical abilities. A new All People's Trail was constructed in the fall of 2019 and is now open to the public. Features include a whimsical hand-crafted Rose Foundation Gazebo and wider boardwalk with wildlife viewing areas for classes and gatherings. The Stearns Woodland Trail is one-mile long and begins at the Nature Center's Wildflower Garden. The trail runs through several wooded, native habitats along the south branch of Cleveland's Doan Brook.
Today, the Nature Center continues to enrich lives through education, innovative programs, and community involvement. Thousands of students visit the Nature Center each year. For many, these visits are their first experience in nature.
The Park Conservation Committee, along with 35 garden clubs and six civic organizations opposed the construction. A parent committee was formed, the Committee for Sane Transportation and Environmental Policy (CSTEP), which enacted several strategies to block future construction of the Clark and Lee Freeways. These “included walks for officials and residents through the parkland, discussions with schools in the surrounding communities about the need for nature education, an effort to get citizens to write letters and protest the construction of the freeway and the commissioning of an Audubon Report about the feasibility of a nature center. The Audubon appraisal concluded that, "For the study of conservation and nature in an outdoor laboratory, there is no comparable area to the park within the limits of Greater Cleveland."
In the summer of 1966, recreation programs were held in the lakes area and funding was given to continue with a naturalist for school classes in the fall. On September 15, 1966, The Shaker Lakes Regional Nature Center was formed and incorporated, and fundraising began for the establishment of a building. A lease and permission to build the center was negotiated with the City of Cleveland, while the Park Conservation Committee simultaneously worked toward getting the Center designated as a National Environmental Education Landmark. In 1970, a meeting was held at Shaker Heights Middle School with a presentation to Governor James Rhodes about the proposed freeway. Rhodes subsequently directed that the route for the Clark Freeway be withdrawn from the Interstate System.
Maxwell Norcross, an architect in Cleveland from 1923 to 1970 and a member of the Shaker Heights architectural board designed the nature center. The building was paid for largely through individual contributions and was completed in November 1969. Gary Nelson was hired as the first full-time director in 1971. That same year, the Stearns Memorial Nature Trail and the Wildflower Garden were constructed with contributions from the Shaker Lakes Garden Club. In 1973, the building was remodeled to create additional office and library space. In 1982, the All People's Trail was constructed, followed by the redesign of the Stearns Memorial Trail and the addition of an East Wing in 1985. In 2003, the Nature Center used sustainable building practices to renovate and update its indoor facilities to include upgraded and expanded classrooms, community meeting rooms, a nature experience area, a bird observation station, and the gift shop.
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes has indoor and outdoor facilities open to the public and is available for rentals, including birthday parties, weddings, and more. It houses classrooms, a meeting room, exhibit areas, a library, and The Duck Pond, a nature-themed gift store. The Jean Eakin Bird Observation Station, the Murphy Carfagna Wildlife Balcony and a gallery overlook the grounds. There is also an outdoor pavilion, the All People's Trail, and Stearns Woodland Trail in the woodlands surrounding the Nature Center. The 0.4 mile long All People's Trail is a barrier-free, elevated boardwalk, designed to be ADA accessible for visitors with all physical abilities. A new All People's Trail was constructed in the fall of 2019 and is now open to the public. Features include a whimsical hand-crafted Rose Foundation Gazebo and wider boardwalk with wildlife viewing areas for classes and gatherings. The Stearns Woodland Trail is one-mile long and begins at the Nature Center's Wildflower Garden. The trail runs through several wooded, native habitats along the south branch of Cleveland's Doan Brook.
Today, the Nature Center continues to enrich lives through education, innovative programs, and community involvement. Thousands of students visit the Nature Center each year. For many, these visits are their first experience in nature.
The Garden Club of Cleveland is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and a member of the Garden Club of America.
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