CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)– The Wade Bourne Nature Center at Rotary Park broke ground on June 5 in Montgomery County. The nature center will be an estimated 4,300 square-foot structure inside Rotary Park, all one level.
Those in attendance included Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, Montgomery County Parks Director Jerry Albert, and Becky Bourne. Each spoke on the project. Not only its importance to the community, but how the legacy of Wade Bourne will be carried on.
Becky Bourne, the widow of Wade Bourne, spoke briefly about the Center, “How grateful we are that you understand the importance, just for the physical, mental, and spiritual benefit for people being outdoors,” said Becky Bourne wife of the late Wade Bourne. “It’s a magical thing being outdoors.”
The Nature Center will be largely made up of energy-conscious materials and the outside will have gardens and wildflowers. The Center will serve as a gathering place for the Clarksville community to learn about nature.
Wade Bourne, of Clarksville, TN, passed away on December 15, 2016. Before beginning his journalism career, Wade served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He was an award-winning broadcaster and journalist. His works have been viewed and listened to for over 40 years. It is the hope of all those involved with the dedication of the Nature Center that his legacy and love for the outdoors will live on for generations.