GRANBY - The Salmon Brook Ecology Center, located on the campus of the Granby Memorial Middle and High Schools in Granby, was officially dedicated at a ceremony held on the campus grounds on Thursday evening, May 13, 2004. A group of about 200 citizens, school personnel and local dignitaries attended.

The Center, a freestanding structure, incorporates the latest in "green" technology, utilizing geothermal energy for heating and cooling and solar cells that convert the sun's energy to electricity. These renewable energy systems are non-polluting and thought by many to be important alternative energy sources for the future.

"Now that it is complete, we've come here tonight to dedicate the Ecology Center to the town of Granby," said a proud Kimberly Huot, the Chair of the event and a member of the Granby Education Foundation.

The foundation is a relatively new organization, having come into existence in 2000. Its mission is to enhance educational opportunities in Granby by funding public and private initiatives of merit. The Ecology Center was the foundation's first beneficiary (having received $400,000) and the catalyst that led to its creation.

The idea for an ecology center was the brainchild of seventh-grade science teacher Bruce Boehm.

"Kids need a hook into education and I say that tongue in cheek in a way," said Boehm, "because here at the center, one of the things we do is raise fish as part of a learning experience. We are not a vo-ag school but we are still using real-life situations in the learning process. As for the kids, they are chomping at the bit to get in here. They literally get sucked into learning by the care that they five to the plants and fish at the center."

As an example, Boehm says that he has the children check the water temperature and the pH of the fish tanks to assess optimum levels. Another example is that he has the students monitor the energy meter and calculate the amount of energy that the photovoltaic cells are producing.

"Everyone wins and everyone wins and the students are not even aware that they are learning," said Boehm.

"He is an outstanding teacher and he gives a lot of energy to his students," said 22-year-old Doug Grant, a former student of Boehm's who now works for the United States Geological Service. "He pretty much started my whole foundation in the science field. This center is a tremendous give-back to the community.'

As for the community, they came together to support the project with all the generosity and selflessness of a proud parent.

"This whole building was build by laymen, not construction specialists," said Ted Cutler of Tecton Architects, the design form for the building. So many people came here to volunteer to do whatever was needed, from wielding a hammer to whatever."

Cutler estimated that this community volunteerism helped save thousands of dollars on the cost of the project.

"You need a foundation to build a good house," said Boehm during his address to the gathering. "You guys have reached into your wallets and provided the money to make the center a reality. You are that foundation and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

The brown trout fingerlings that the center raises will be released into the streams in Granby and the plant material that is grown hydroponically will be distributed to the community.

The center will serve Granby students and will also work cooperatively with students in other communities in the study of science, ecology and related fields.

Article By :Jay Nowakowski, Correspondent for Shelton Weekly.com May 21, 2004