July 1—Local organizations and community members gathered Monday to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the West Virginia Botanic Garden’s (WVBG) new Equitrans Midstream Visitors Center. The event recognized the work of each individual who brought the project’s vision to life, as well as the ways the facility will further enrich the botanical garden experience for both locals and tourists.
Accessible from two parking lots at the garden’s entrance, the Equitrans Midstream Visitors Center is housed in a new facility that mimics the modern, elegant style of the garden’s popular event venue, The Terrace at Tibbs Run. The facility features a striking gift shop for nature lovers of all kinds, an information desk, a back patio overlooking a garden, and will eventually include a café. Guests can learn about the garden, plan their visit, purchase a souvenir, and enjoy a bite to eat or drink throughout the day.
Built by the hands of the community for the community, the visitors center is a broad collaboration of Morgantown creatives, professionals and organizations. Present at Monday’s meeting were representatives from Morgantown Area Partnership, Visit Mountaineer Country Convention and Visitors Bureau, State Representative Alex Mooney’s office, Equitrans Midstream and the WVBG team that makes all of its events, projects and amenities possible.
Rhett Dusenbury issued a statement on Mooney’s behalf, congratulating everyone involved in the project and recognizing that the WVBG is one of the best examples of West Virginia’s native flora and fauna.
“Independently of [visitors’] “Because of the choices they make during their visit to the West Virginia Botanic Garden, they will never remember their nature experience and how they felt, for a moment, almost in heaven,” Mooney said in his statement.
Equitrans Midstream was recognized for its significant role in financing the facility. Architect Kellie Cole, landscape designer Phil Cole, WVBG representatives Cheryl Carnegie and Jan Mitchell, and contractor Jay Scorzetti were all recognized for their role in making this project possible and creating a beautiful and welcoming center.
“This is a great representation of what happens when the community comes together to find a way to make something great happen,” said Morgantown Area Partnership Vice President Eric Carlson. “We’re so happy to be a part of this.”
In addition to being designed and built by local professionals, the Visitor Center was built using some of the garden’s own materials. A mighty white oak tree was felled during the construction of the facility. To honor the tree and continue its legacy, some of the center’s furniture was made using materials from the oak. In the future, some of the furniture made from the tree will be available for purchase.
Stepping into the Visitor Center is like stepping into a naturalist’s wildest dreams. With a WVBG representative on hand to help with any questions you may have about the garden and what it has to offer, the facility also offers a diverse selection of items in its striking gift shop. Shelves lining the walls are filled with wildlife identification guides, gardening supplies and decor, handmade artwork by local creatives, eco-friendly crafts and decor, a children’s area with books and tools for exploring the natural world, clothing, and much more.
“We’re very intentional about all the merchandise we have that aligns with our mission,” said WVBG Director Philip Smith. The facility is really a physical manifestation of the garden’s efforts to utilize the natural world as a way to inspire and educate its visitors.
The WVBG is always looking for ways to grow, and the Visitor Center will be no exception. Tentatively scheduled for summer 2025, the facility plans to open an on-site café where guests can sit, relax, and enjoy a bite to eat with a view.
“We want people to have a full experience at the botanical garden, and that means they can have an informed visit and not have to rush to get a snack,” Smith said. “They can come here and get a nice hot sandwich or a cup of soup and enjoy nature.”
The Visitor Centre will officially open to the public from July 11, Thursday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm.
Nearly all of the garden’s operating costs are made possible by community donations. For more information about the garden or to make a donation, visit WVBG.org or stop by the Equitrans Midstream Visitors Center during upcoming hours.
