History and Facilities
The Bunker Interpretive Center, at the Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve provides approximately 5,000 square feet of space which serves as a home base for programs, a study center for the college community, and an educational resource for the general public to the preserve. Included in that space are a laboratory classroom, a multi-purpose room, and a display hall. The multipurpose room, depending on its configuration, serves as a lecture hall or as an exploratory space for elementary classes. The display hallway houses permanent and temporary displays to help visitors better understand the flora and fauna of the Great Lakes region.
One purpose of the facility is to help visitors understand their role in the world as stewards of creation. Toward that end, it was decided early in the design of the new building that it should express responsible stewardship in both its construction and its operation. Says preserve director Randall Van Dragt: "When I first wrote criteria for the building, it included making it as environmentally sounds as possible." As a target for environmentally sustainable design, the designers adopted the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards of the US Green Building Council and created a building that received gold certification from the USGBC.
Reservation Policy
The Bunker Interpretive Center is not available for rental for private events such as retreats, weddings, parties, etc.
For information on scheduling educational programs please contact Jeanette Henderson.
