NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1981 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 1115

HOUSE BILL 1145

 

 

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WORLD OF THE UNDERGROUND EXHIBIT AT THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA NATURE CENTER IN ASHEVILLE.

 

Whereas, the Western North Carolina Nature Center opened in May 1977 as a specialized agency of the Buncombe County Parks and Recreation Department; and

Whereas, it has been visited each year by school children from 19 Western North Carolina counties and the general public exceeding 60,000 visitors per year; and

Whereas, it serves the western region of North Carolina as a regional zoo, natural history museum, educational farm, park, and environmental learning center; and

Whereas, it benefits from 8,000 hours of volunteer service each year; and

Whereas, local governments, corporations, foundations, private organizations, businesses and individuals have all contributed to capital improvements now valued at more than seven hundred fifty thousand dollars ($750,000); and

Whereas, a major corporation provided funds for a World of the Underground exhibit area; and

Whereas, that exhibit area has been completed and is in need of exhibits; and

Whereas, World of the Underground exhibits will help Nature Center visitors better understand and appreciate the dynamic natural processes occurring in the soil; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Agriculture, Museum of Natural History, the sum of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) for fiscal year 1981-82, to be expended for the design, construction, and installation of exhibits in the World of the Underground at the Western North Carolina Nature Center, provided a like amount is raised by the Western North Carolina Nature Center to match the grant-in-aid on a dollar for dollar basis. The Center may apply to the Museum, from time to time, for the funds appropriated under this act, as it raises the matching funds. Any appropriated money not used or not matched shall revert to the General Fund.

Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 10th day of October, 1981.