Montgomery Parks invites the community to a celebration of the recently renovated Maydale Nature Classroom on Saturday from 2-5 p.m., according to a Monday press release.
The free event will take place rain or shine. It will include a brief speaking program and self-guided tours of the facility. Family-friendly activities provide the fun — s’mores around a campfire, arts and crafts, and cider pressing, to name a few.
Montgomery Parks Director Mike Riley, Montgomery Planning Board Chair Casey Anderson, County Council President Tom Hucker, and President of the Friends of Maydale Renée Katz are expected to speak at the event.
“The Maydale Nature Classroom brings nature center programming to an underserved area of the county,” Riley said. “I appreciate the support we received from the Friends of Maydale in creating a beautiful and sustainable facility where children and families can learn about the value of environmental stewardship.”
The Nature Classroom stands as Montgomery Park’s first net-zero building design. Made from a repurposed trailer and created with sustainable, locally sourced materials, the facility incorporates solar panels and a 275-gallon, underground rainwater harvesting system.
“All of the Friends of Maydale are looking forward to celebrating the opening of the new Maydale Nature Classroom,” Katz said. “It…opens up exciting possibilities for the future of nature education in the East County and the stewardship of the Upper Paint Branch Special Protection Area.”
You can find the classroom at Maydale Conservation Park, 1638 Maydale Drive, Colesville, MD 20905. Only accessible parking exists on-site, but street parking is available nearby.
