by Natalia Kivimaki, Saunders Finger Lakes Museum
It all started with an article written in the Spring 2008 edition of Life in the Finger Lakes magazine. A piece was published sharing an idea that came to John Adamski, a local architect with a passion for wildlife photography. Adamski was inspired by the nearby Adirondack region and its commitment to telling the story of that mountainous area through museums. In the article, Adamski proposed his idea for a Finger Lakes regional museum that celebrated the cultures, history and ecology of the vast 9,000-square-mile region that many of us proudly call home. With a resounding grassroots “Yes!” in response to the reader poll that accompanied the article, the project started to come to life, with Adamski leading the charge as the organization’s founder.
Fast forward to where the project stands today. I sit at my desk in the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum operations center. The space houses five other staff members, our construction management team and overlooks the main campus bustling with the activity of the construction of the museum exhibit hall. Once, that space was occupied many years ago by school children learning the alphabet, playing basketball and mastering math skills. Each time I look out the window, I am taken aback by the tremendous progress that has occurred in recent years: the demolition of the previous school building, construction of a steel building frame and installation of the roof and exterior walls.
Looking out another window of the operations center, I gaze upon the Creekside Center, a repurposed barn that has received improvements conducive to being a friendly and welcoming space for the community. Many programs take place here; most recently we hosted our annual Paddle Keuka 5K. Visitors can relax on the three-sided deck, hear the sounds of the trees rustling, gaze upon the flowering gardens and feel the calm that is accompanied with immersing yourself in the surrounding blue and green space.
Next to the Creekside Center, I’ll often see children playing in the crowdsourced natural playscape, complete with mounds to climb, a wooden play hut and colorful larger-than-life flora and fauna cut-outs. You will probably catch a glimpse of kayakers, too, led by our program director who runs several weekly guided paddles for scouts, youth and school groups, veterans and eager kayakers. Visitors can also discover our hidden gem – a revamped kayak launch now open to the public for use through the spring, summer and fall.
The stunning aerial shots of the campus, which spans 30 acres in total, show just how close we are to the lake. Sugar Creek winds its way alongside our Townsend Grady Wildlife Preserve wetlands property into Keuka Lake, providing visitors with a distinctive viewpoint to this unique and vital habitat. A 200-foot boardwalk spans the trail, which is dotted with interpretive signage that speaks to the various waterfowl and aquatic life that can be seen along the path. A program-participant handcrafted octagon pavilion sits at the end of this boardwalk, offering a lakeside scene guaranteed to take your breath away.
Our building is being wrapped up for the winter, and work on the inside will take place through the colder months. Construction will continue throughout the rest of the year, and while it may not be immediately noticeable to passersby, significant progress is being made behind the scenes. Rest assured, the project continues to bring Adamski’s dream to life within the next few years. We look forward to the day when we open our doors to the public; we are closer now than we have ever been. We are grateful for your support, generous donations and enthusiastic energy. With your help, we’re moving closer to completing this project each day!
