Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center surpasses attendance goal
by Lissa Blake
After only nine months in operation, attendance at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing has surpassed projections for an entire year. That’s according to Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) Director Jim Janett and Assistant Director Jarrod Olson.
“A normal average for the first year of an education/visitor center is between 10,000 and 14,000,” explained Janett, adding he was hoping for at least 10,000. “We’re at 11,000 with three months to go.”
Janett and Olson explained attendance numbers at the new center were compiled from a combination of people from the general public, youth groups like Allamakee County 4-H, and 11 field trip groups from seven different school districts. About 400 visitors stopped in during RAGBRAI® last summer.
When asked how attendance is tallied, Olson said, at this point, it is a manual count.
“The person attending the desk has a tally sheet, and they try to keep track,” said Olson, adding when the Center gets busy, there may be people coming through the door who aren’t accounted for. The Center also has a guest book which offers information about where each guest is from.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Janett explained in addition to walk-in visitors, the Center hosts a number of special events. These include regional meetings, County Conservation District meetings, Friends of Pool 9 and Coldwater Stream Improvement Group gatherings and a number of public events, including guest speakers, hikes, demonstrations, book signings and more.
“We’ve hosted 14 different public events,” said Janett, adding there are public meeting rooms available for rent.
WELL-RECEIVED
Janett said since the Center opened last summer, they have seen visitors from all over the world. The guest book includes signatures from visitors from as far away as Thailand, Australia, Europe and Brazil.
“One of the big surprises has been all of the repeat customers who come here. People bring their family and friends here to show it to them,” he said.
Janett added while the County called on Split Rock Studio from the Twin Cities to design displays that would interest a number of age groups, one of the Center’s most popular displays, the Bee Tree - a working bee hive - was designed by Olson.
ACCOLADES
Janett said one of the most exciting things to happen at the Center since its opening was its designation as an official Great River Road Interpretive Center by the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.
According to the Great River Road Economic Impact Study, Allamakee County tourism contributes nearly $40 million annually to the local economy. Many visitors find the Center while traveling the Driftless Area Scenic Byway.
In addition, Fehr Graham Engineering was awarded an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) national engineering excellence award for its work on the project, and Split Rock Studios has submitted a national recognition award for its interpretive display design.
HISTORY
The Allamakee County Conservation Board (ACCB) and Allamakee County Conservation Foundation celebrated the completion of the new 10,000-square-foot Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center on the south edge of Lansing last summer during Fish Days. Attendees can learn about topics such as geology, limnology (rivers/streams), archeology, wildlife studies, river town industries and economies, American Indian cultures and more.
The Center provides meeting and office space for public use, classrooms and group learning areas, multiple observation decks and more. The focus of the new Center is to share with and educate the public about the history of the area and the reason behind its unique topography.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Janett and Olson said fundraising for the Center continues to go well and the Center will be releasing a first-year summary in the near future. They also are wrapping-up a countywide elementary school coloring contest, and they will be announcing the results of the “Name the Turtle” contest in the near future.
The Center currently has around 40 volunteers, but is looking for more. For more information on volunteering or other aspects of the Center, call 563-538-0401 or email Office Manager Jackie Cooper at accb.offmanager@gmail.com.
