This Just In ...

The Curious George Cottage, once home to H.A. and Margret Rey, whose imaginations created the lovable monkey, Curious George, will be upgraded to better serve itsı visitors. The cottageıs location is shifting slightly, and will continue to be adjacent to the Waterville Valley Elementary School.

Environmental Modifications

Environmentally friendly upgrades including new insulation, new windows, and other technological advancements will help improve itsı environmental footprint. The updates will be for complete energy conservation and efficiency. A modification of the Cottageıs original fireplace will be added that will have the look of the original fixture but the design will be more environmentally sound. A Tulikivi soap stone heater will be inserted where the original fireplace one stood. The reception area for the cottage will also be improved. The currently small area for programming will be updated. Artifacts from the Reys will be displayed that will tell the story of the Reysı life together.

The Cottage will continue to be a place for visitors to experience where the Reys lived. Community activities will be held here. The cottage will demonstrate for visitors the different environmental technologies including solar panels used for electricity and a living roof. There will be porous paving in the parking areas to decrease runoff into the nearby stream, and a water garden will also help manage runoff. Composting toilets will be incorporated into the restrooms. The inspiration for these upgrades comes from H.A. Reyıs early advocacy of alternative energy in the 1950s. Next to the cottage there will be a constructed wetland for grey water (water that comes from labs, showers, and laundry) treatment. Taken together, the living roof, porous paving and constructed wetland will demonstrate good water management through wastewater and storm water treatment. The goal is to make water a feature element in the cottage.

Curious Gourds Garden

The Curious Gourds garden located on Sandwich Mountain Farm (115 acre farm in conservation easement) will benefit from this renovation too. The area will be likely developed to further serve as an outdoor education area. Locally harvested timber from this farm will be used for the stove in the Cottage.

Nat Scrimshaw, resident artist, and Executive Director of the Rey Center said, ³Through this remodel we want to show how restoring an old building can be environmentally responsible.²

Further, the landscaping will encourage the growth of Native plants. Some Native plants to Waterville Valley include Bunchberry, Blue Bead Lily, Pink Slippers, Hobble Bush, and Cananda Mayflower.

Scrimshaw added, "The use of this landscaping will encourage people to learn about native plants and appreciate them. Native plants can make a beautiful garden. There will also be a more traditional ornamental garden with noninvasive species. Margret Rey had both a traditional ornamental garden and a wildflower garden."

New Rey Center at Town Square

A New Rey Center at Town Square is also being constructed. The center will be 2,500 square feet when completed. The new space will include offices, visitor center, kitchenette, exhibition area, and reception area. The Brookside Room-the Rey's current gallery space-will be incorporated into this new space.

This new Rey Center will showcase two specific exhibits:
* Ed Lorenz-developer of the Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect. The exhibit will display and interpret Chaos Theory and his meteorology work.

* A digital collection of the Rey Papers- (original sketches, drawings) from the University of Southern Mississippi de Grummond collection will be displayed.

All of the regular programming will continue at the new facility. There will be more room for the popularity of the programs and the new facility will have space for more family time. There will also be lectures, music, and art events. The popular Chalk Talk events will continue to be held in this space.

The Rey Center is also working with a donor to site a remote robotic observatory. The observatory will be controlled through the internet. The Rey Center will share this resource with the University of New Hampshire and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. The observatory will be controlled through the internet and can be can be experienced from anywhere.

The total budget for the renovation of the Curious George Cottage and the construction of the New Rey Center is approximately $233,000. Construction begins in the summer of 2009. The project design is being done by Oudens Ello Architecture, a Boston-based, full-service architecture and urban design office specializing in academic, cultural and institutional projects. The interior is being designed by Alexander Nikanpour. The interior colors of the New Rey Center will reflect the colors depicted in the Curious George storybooks.

Visit ReyCenter.org for more information.

Margret and H.A. Rey

Margret and H.A. Rey, authors of the Curious George childrenıs book series and former summer residents of Waterville Valley, NH, were artists and adventurers, historians and naturalists, gardeners and ardent environmental stewards. Today their spirit lives on in the Margret and H.A. Rey Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the Reysı legacy through art, science, and adventure programs for all ages.