Work is progressing on the new visitor’s center at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. Manager Amy LaVoie said the building will not be done until late September, and they will not likely have a grand opening until January. (Dave Maxwell photo)
The new visitor center at Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is coming along, not finished yet, but getting there.
Refuge manager Amy Lavoie said it will be a small visitor’s center and administrative office, “a little exhibit hall inside and a lobby, and we’ll have outside exhibits and a little trail to walk, a multi-purpose room for meetings and educational activities to show a film we did recently of all the refuges.”
LaVoie said the building should be finished in September, “but all of our exhibits and displays won’t be done until the end of November, so we don’t think we’ll have our grand opening until January.”
Being the smallest visitor’s center in the Nevada refuge system, and even though the Pahranagat refuge does not have a lot of visitors, LaVoie said there was a need for a center. “We built a small one to have a nice place for visitors who can’t get out to see all parts of the refuge. The goal is to get them excited about it when they stop by and see what’s inside, and the possibilities that they go and do something outside.” She added, “maybe they will go to the upper lake or walk a trail and get excited about the wildlife they’ll be able to see. We are also hoping it will compliment other things to do in Lincoln County. We’re hoping people will plan day trips and overnight trips to the refuge, plus Alamo and Caliente, and all throughout the county. Just one additional activity for them to enjoy in Lincoln County.”
Assistant manager Annji Bagozzi resides at the refuge and the office number for questions and inquiries is 775-725-3417.
