July 23, 2010
Berlin Daily Sun

BERLIN — The planning stage is underway to construct a visitors’ center at Jericho Mountain State Park through a partnership with the Berlin High School’s Career and Technical Education program.

The C.T.E. program recently signed the agreements to partner with the Division of Resources and Economic Development And the Bureau of Trails to construct the visitors’ center at the park for next school year’s student project. Construction for the project is set to begin in the fall once the students return to school.

“The partnership between the Bureau of Trails and the Career and Technical Center will provide students with an opportunity to give back to the community while they learn the technical skills of the trade,” said C.T.E. Director Roland Pinette. “It seems like a win- win for each the programs,” said Chief Chris Gamache, of the trails bureau. From the state’s perspective, Gamache said the project was attractive because it gets the local community more involved with the park. He added it also helps the state since it likes to do as much work with local people as possible.

Gamache said it’s great to get the kids involved with the park, and goal of the state is to involve the community in its parks, especially since outdoor recreation is critical to the economic future in the region.

“Construction of a visitor center at Jericho Mountain State Park supports the city’s mission to promote outdoor recreation in Berlin,said Pinette. “We are pleased to be working with the state to advance economic development in the region.”

Normally, the students build a single-family home as its project. Pinette said when the school solicited project proposals, the state submitted the visitors’ center as an idea.

He said he felt the project was chance for the students to give back to the community, and decided to accept the project. Two classes would work on the project, and each class has about 14 students enrolled.

Pinette said the visitors’ center would offer the same building experience as a home, so it’s an equivalent learning experience. “It’s good for the community and it’s good for the kids,” said Pinette. Gamache said this is a unique project since it would create a visitors’ center at the largest park with trails systems for off highway recreational vehicles in the state.

The tentative plans for the building would be a two- story building. Based on the placement of the building, either story would be at ground level since it would be built on a hill. Gamache said the first floor would be the visitor’s information center as well as offices, and bottom floor would mostly be storage and garage area.

By building the center themselves, the students would take pride in the project, said Gamache. He added when they return to the park, they’ll be able to look at the center said tell people they built it.

“Many of our students are avid riders,” said Pinette. “Involving them in this endeavor will build pride and a sense community.” The park reopens for the spring on May 23 after closing during mud season, and Gamache said he hopes to have a small ribbon cutting for the visitors’ center.

Roland Pinette, director of the Berlin High School Career and Technical Education program, Superintendent Corinne Cascadden and Chief Chris Gamache of the New Hampshire Trails Bureau, discussed the partnership between the state and the school to have students from the C.T.E. program construct a vistors’ center at Jericho Mountain State Park. (CRAIG LYONS PHOTO)

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