Even in a downward spiraling economy, there are people and organizations that know what it means to give aide in the spirit of community. On Friday, May 1, the Calvert Marine Museum will hold a grand opening and ground breaking ceremony for Corbin Nature Pavilion.
“Wonderful people of Southern Maryland have joined together to support the Calvert Marine Museum during the worst economic situation most of us can remember,” said Vanessa Gill, Director of Development. “Even more amazing, is that each of the donors is a part of the building industry, which we know is one of the worst hit by the bad economy.”
The effort began last spring when CMM received a generous donation from the Corbin family of Mitchellville. The money donated was to be used for the advancement of education at the museum. Because more than 20,000 children visit CMM each year, many part of class trips or one of CMM’s camp experiences, the museum had a need for an outdoor pavilion to immerse visiting children in the environment.
With environmental immersion, children would be better able to understand the environment’s fragility and their responsibility for caring for it in the future. With the donated money in hand, CMM decided to use the money to build an outdoor education pavilion. The Corbin family contribution donation was quite generous, but the museum recognized that a great deal more money would be essential to build an appropriate facility.
When a local Solomons’ resident, Mr. Richard Fischer, asked what he could do for the museum; the timing was impeccable. The former owner of the Lighthouse Inn, quickly decided he would try to match the money donated by the Corbin family. Fischer also directed the museum to W.M. Davis Builders and its owner, Wayne Davis. Davis agreed to build the outdoor education pavilion, and generously discounted his price.
Once these donors were lined up, the museum’s Exhibits Curator, James Langley, began the design work of the building. With the design in hand, Collinson, Oliff & Associates was approached to help with the site work drawings. COA jumped on board and decided to donate 100 percent of their services.
When it came time for actual construction, Chaney Enterprises, donated the concrete and introduced the museum to its environmentally friendly pervious concrete. The product allows water to penetrate its surface, not pick up toxins, and is something that can be used in situations when building close to the water.
Chaney introduced CMM to Z Con Inc. and Zeke Zinchiak, one of the few contractors certified in Maryland to lay its pervious product. Zinchiak donated the services and specialized equipment needed to lay this product to support the museum.
Master Gardener, Peg Dann and other volunteers donated their services and designed the site’s rain garden with native plants. The garden is planted above a required bio-retention pond to handle run-off from the site and filter water prior to its return to area waterways.
Education classes are scheduled to begin under the pavilion in early May. When the site is not being used for educational programs, it w
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