Refuge and Friends Making it Happen Together

The Cook's House Project, which will be complete before the end of 2024, brought clearly into focus the size and complexity of restoring and conserving the historic buildings at Vista. It also made perfectly clear that, even with grant support, Friends cannot lead the next stages of that historical preservation.
Picture
Cook's House before restoration but after a friends' cleanup day. Photo by Frank Offerle.
Picture
A new footer
Picture
A before picture of a window
Picture
Debbie Meeks priming a window that is under restoration.
Finding Friends' Best Role
With the understanding of the enormity of the project and convinced of the value of opening Vista to the public, Friends initiated meetings with the Refuge managers and the USFWS architect and engineers to discuss how to proceed. The discussions led to a three-part approach.
Refuge's Two Long-Term Planning and Funding Initiatives
  1. The Refuge will work with others in USFWS to produce a comprehensive plan for the future of the historic structures and features of the property. Such a plan is required by the federal government before major actions are taken. It must be conducted by federally vetted architects, will take about a year, and will require significant funding. The buildings will be closed to visitors during the plan's preparation and until they are restored.
  2. The Refuge will seek multi-million-dollar grant funding to underwrite the production of the comprehensive plan and full restoration of the entire Vista site including buildings, the dock, and other features.
Friends' Near-Term Landscape and Trails Initiative
Friends is hoping to design and construct interpretive trails and other landscape features to make it possible for Vista to be open regularly in the near term. The buildings will not be open but interpretive signs will tell their stories.
Picture
Concept for a site plan, prepared by Mark Gluckman
Working in Partnership
Friends and the Refuge intend to provide at Vista a publicly accessible site that will explore and interpret the Refuge’s role in protecting the river, restoring trees, and contributing to the re-wilding of North Florida. The Refuge is actively seeking funding to enhance public access and offer wildlife-based recreational activities that showcase their conservation and restoration efforts.