'Lesser Known Gem,' West Rock Nature Center, c. 1946, Is Rejuvenated

NEW HAVEN, CT — Monday, city and non-profit leaders celebrated the completed renovations to West Rock Nature Center. Also highlighted are the outdoor, environmental, and educational activities and programs offered by the New Haven Parks Department, Common Ground High School, and Solar Youth at the revitalized facility.

The nature center is technically in Hamden, though owned by the city of New Haven.

Located alongside West Rock Ridge State Park, the center has long served as a resource for New Haven residents to enjoy, boasting of 43 acres of woods and fields, trails, streams, a waterfall, 300+ different plant species, and many varieties of wildlife.

Believed to be the first urban nature center in the country, according to the city's Parks Department, the West Rock Nature Center was opened in 1946 and was added to the State Register of Historic Places in June 2003.

With parts of the facility failing into disrepair, the city worked to renovate the site, including the main Visitor’s Center and Nature House.

According to the city, the revitalized West Rock Nature Center is the sixth renovated youth and community center of the eight formerly underutilized city buildings in neighborhoods across the city to house high-quality youth, family, senior, and community programming.