covid19

NDC Temporarily CLOSED

2020-03-17 Maura Denman Life at the center, News

Hello Friends and Neighbors,

As a public health precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Nature Discovery Center is temporarily closing, effective March 17 until further notice. The health and safety of our staff, volunteers, visitors, and their loved ones is our top priority. We appreciate your understanding as we do our part to keep our community safe.

We will continue to monitor the recommendations of the CDC, WHO, City of Bellaire and the City of Houston. The exact length of our closure will be determined as we learn more from these organizations and government entities in the days and weeks ahead. Please keep an eye on our social media accounts while we’re closed for further updates. Russ Pitman Park remains open, and we encourage you to enjoy time outdoors during this stressful time.

The Nature Discovery Center building is now closed, and all programs and events through March 31 have been cancelled, suspended, or postponed. If you registered for a program, or booked a program with the Center during this closure period, we will reach out to you separately if you haven’t already heard from us. For more information email mail@naturediscoverycenter.org or call 713-667-6550. Note that we will continue to update our cancellations and postponements as this public health crisis continues and the length of our closure is more certain.

During the closure, our animals will remain under the continued care of our Animal Care Coordinator and other trained staff. With our position on the Texas Gulf Coast, we have weathered many emergency closures with animal care contingencies in place, and we are ready to provide our animals with quality care throughout the anticipated closure period. Though this virus is believed to have originated in a non-human animal host, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not received any reports of wildlife or animals in human care becoming sick with COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus.

Please stay healthy, spend some quality time in nature, and we’ll see you again soon!

~ NDC Staff

NEW Covid 19 Update 3/13

2020-03-13 Maura Denman Life at the center, News

After we released our Covid19 Update for the Nature Discovery Center last night, we became aware that HISD was cancelling their Spring Break Camp programs next week and suspending classes through March 30.

The WHO and CDC have indicated that community-wide measures to increase social distancing will be a key element in the fight against the spread of this pandemic and in the protection of our healthcare systems. Closing schools and cancelling programs and events where people are gathered in close proximity is now a priority.

Out of an abundance of caution, and in keeping with our policy of following HISD closure schedules in times of emergency, we have decided to cancel the Spring Break Camps we had scheduled for March 16 – 20. Center staff will be contacting program participants regarding refunds today.

The Center itself will remain open to the public during our normal operating hours of 12 to 5:30 Monday – Friday and 10 – 5:30 on Saturday and Sunday.

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From our earlier statement:

For visitors’ health and safety, we have increased the frequency with which we disinfect surfaces throughout the building. Please assist us in this endeavor with thorough hand washing. Hand Soap and Hand Sanitizer are readily available.

In addition, we respectfully request that visitors be courteous to other guests and delay their visit to the Center and participation in Center programs if they or their children are experiencing possible illness, or if they have recently traveled overseas.

Thanks to all of you for helping us keep the Center clean and safe for all visitors.

We encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors during this time, as nature is always good for our health!

Be well! And, we look forward to seeing you soon!

~ NDC Staff

Covid-19 Update from the Center

2020-03-12 Maura Denman Life at the center, News

The Nature Discovery Center staff recognize the importance of our community’s health and safety.

During this time, we are following recommendations by the CDC and WHO. Our Center also follows the schedule and recommendations of HISD and the City of Bellaire. We are currently following the HISD recommendation of cancelling large gatherings only. We are still holding our regularly scheduled programs, and the center is still open to the public at this time. We will update our site and social media with any changes as the local public health strategy evolves.

If you would like to cancel your participation in any of our programs, we are happy to reschedule or offer you a full refund during this time. Please email us at mail@naturediscoverycenter.org to let us know of your cancellation in writing.

For visitors’ health and safety, we have increased the frequency with which we disinfect surfaces throughout the building. Please assist us in this endeavor with thorough hand washing. Hand Soap and Hand Sanitizer are readily available.

In addition, we respectfully request that visitors be courteous to other guests and delay their visit to the Center and participation in Center programs if they or their children are experiencing possible illness, or if they have recently traveled overseas.

Thanks to all of you for helping us keep the Center clean and safe for all visitors.

We encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors during this time, as nature is always good for our health!

Be well! And, we look forward to seeing you soon!

~ NDC Staff

NDC Temporarily CLOSED

NEW Covid 19 Update 3/13

Covid-19 Update from the Center

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