Nature Center Proposes Renovation for Non-Functioning Greenhouse

New Canaan Nature Center officials last week proposed the sorely needed renovation of a 1982-built greenhouse on their Oenoke Ridge campus. 

Located behind the Visitor’s Center, the greenhouse’s temperature regulation systems have failed, limiting its functionality and leaving officials calling for a renovation of the original structure that will allow it to be utilized year-round, according to Bill Flynn, executive director of the Nature Center.

“Its design has not stood the test of time. The temperature regulation systems have all failed,” Flynn told members of the Board of Selectmen during their Dec. 5 meeting, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Now we have a greenhouse that we can’t have a growing program in, which is a problem.”

Broken glass seals, shades, motors, lighting and fans all need to be updated, leaving the structure useless except for the occasional New Canaan Beautification League and Garden Club meetings and summer camp activities, he said.

The only plants that can be found in the greenhouse are succulents, as they can withstand the unregulated heat during the summer, and the leaks in the ceiling provide water when it rains, he said.

“You just can’t regulate the temperature, so you can’t have a reasonable growing system in there,” Flynn said. 

The concrete ramp leading from the greenhouse. Credit: Bill Flynn.

Another issue with the structure is its limited functionality. Since it’s not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Flynn proposed removing a concrete ramp leading into the building and taking out a staircase to open up the floor. 

“It serves no purpose other than taking up a bunch of space, and there’s rust on the underside of that, so we’re looking to remove that and start this process of just changing over the building,” Flynn said. 

The Nature Center’s land and buildings are owned by the town.

Selectman Amy Murphy Carroll asked if the Nature Center has plans to knock the building down entirely and build a new greenhouse. 

“We would like to see it maintained as a greenhouse,” Flynn said. The renovated building would serve as the hub for the Pollinator Pathway Group, an organization of 11 local organizations focused on promoting sustainable gardening practices and wildlife conservation within the community. 

“Actually harvesting native seeds, propagating them in this greenhouse, sending all those native plants out into New Canaan, and giving all of those groups space to utilize, that’s my vision for it,” he said. 

Rust located underneath the concrete ramp of the structure. Credit: Bill Flynn

The Nature Center has gathered preliminary quotes to come up with a phased plan that will overhaul the building. Costs of renovation ranges from $500,000 to $700,000, and the Nature Center anticipates a capital campaign to raise money for the project, Flynn said. 

Although there is a plan in place, Flynn said the project doesn’t need to begin until a year or two, as the Nature Center would like to see the restoration of the Audubon House beforehand. 

“‘[The Audubon House] is more immediate, [the greenhouse] is more long term, but we’re gathering it now, and we’re starting to put some funds away so we can go towards stuff like this,” Flynn said. 

The Nature Center presented to the other town funding bodies, the Board of Finance and Town Council, this week.