Here’s an exterior drawing of what the Gathering Room will look like situated next to the General Store.
The Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park is excited to announce the groundbreaking ceremony for its new Gathering Room next Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 8 a.m. This project has been in the planning stages for a long time, and it’s now time to get started.
Everyone is invited to the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park to witness the groundbreaking for this new park addition. The new building will be located between the General Store and the Depot at the park.
IRONHIDE Construction out of Lincoln is the general contractor for the project, and ACRE DESIGN will be the architectural firm. The building is 66’ x 36’ and can seat approximately 100 or more people. “It will feature a large area for gatherings, an area for catering and serving food, plus two handicapped restrooms. It will also be heated and airconditioned. An added benefit to the building will be a patio facing the depot for guests to relax and enjoy the view,” said Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff.
The new building will meet the needs of the community and the Heritage Park as a place where larger groups may gather, according to Chairman Suzanne Ratzlaff. The Gathering Room will draw visitors year-round to the park and be available for family gatherings, class reunions, receptions, and meetings. A special bonus will be offering space for larger bus tours which can bring more people to Henderson’s downtown.
The estimated cost of the building is $600,000. Thanks to the generosity of many Heritage Park supporters, $340,000 has already been raised. Construction will begin in anticipation of “If we start building, people will give,” said Ratzlaff.
Donations are currently being accepted to help reach this goal. Since Heritage Park is a 501c3, all donations are tax-deductible. They can be mailed to Henderson Heritage Park, PO Box 336, Henderson, NE, or dropped off at Heritage Park. For more information, people are welcome to call 402-723-4252.
Everyone is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday morning, October 8, at 8:00 am. The park is 1 ½ miles south of the Henderson I-80 Exit #342 on spur 93A.
