Wildwood Lake Sanctuary

Wildwood Lake Sanctuary:
A Walking Tour

by Leslie S. March
photography by Helen McVey Colvin

"—An odd sighting on the dock, a great blue heron looking out one way, almost back to back with a snowy-white egret peering in the opposite direction. This is why everyone should sometimes leave the city … The egret breaks first, the neck outstretched, the yellow bayonet beak extended, a beautiful bird in flight, sleek like a Pre-Raphaelite seaplane…and the heron, looking rumpled with its round black shoulder patch, the feathered body more gray than blue, the long legs, feet, and beak black. It is a less comely bird, a less spiffy bird than the egret, although with its huge wingspan as it takes off low over the water, it does achieve an airline’s stateliness."
— E. L. Doctorow, City of God

While Wildwood Lake Sanctuary is far more than birds — comely and otherwise — many visitors do come to view the magnificent birds: herons, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, finches, Baltimore orioles, and countless others. The Sanctuary, with the Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center as a captivating centerpiece, is truly an undiscovered treasure of Central Pennsylvania. Located off of Industrial Road, flanked by Harrisburg Area Community College, Wildwood is the crown jewel of hiking trails within the Harrisburg city limits. A 3.1 mile trail, composed of wood chips, macadam, and boardwalk — wheelchair accessible — winds around the lake through multi-textured landscapes. The trail is used for biking, running, hiking, and ambling with pets and children. The boardwalks lead to bird blinds, allowing the visitor a serene place to bird gaze or daydream. Giant Foods supplied the sturdy benches, fashioned from sawdust and recycled plastic grocery bags, placed unobtrusively around the park.

In December of 1999, the opening of the Olewine Nature Center was a glorious capstone for Wildwood. Mr. Benjamin Olewine III, who provided the lead gift for this $4.3 million project, says that it has "surpassed my wildest imagination" in its beauty. Mr. Olewine informed me that his foundation supported the Center because he "wanted to give something back to the children as well as the adults of the community." Revealing that his family was among the early settlers in Harrisburg — before the Revolutionary War —and that he grew up near Wildwood on McCormick’s Island, Mr. Olewine remarked with a twinkle in his eye that he had spent time at Wildwood as a child. He particularly enjoyed visiting the zoo, skating in the winter, and canoeing on the lake in the 1950s and 1960s. Asked about his background, he told me that as a boy he had worked at Olewine Cheese House, his father’s deli stand at the Chestnut Street Market. Taking over the business, inspired by a vision of where the company should go, he expanded his corporation from five employees to 465 before his retirement. His daughter, Kristen Olewine Milke, currently a company vice president, was also involved in raising funds for the Center, as was his son, Benjamin Olewine IV, who contributed to the exhibit designs inside of the building. Mr. Olewine stops in Wildwood every Saturday and Sunday when he is in the area to "look at the birds, to walk, and to visit the Nature Center."

Architects for this magnificent building were Crabtree, Rohrbaugh, and Associates of Harrisburg. Most apparent to the first-time visitor are the burnished gates with a pewter patina leading into the educational section; these were fabricated by Ebinger Iron Works of Kenton from the design of Crabtree, Rohrbaugh, and Associates, to depict the surrounding waterlife, in particular the abundant and fragrant lotus that grace Wildwood throughout the late summer and early fall seasons. The building, 70% green, that is, demonstrating "environmentally responsible design, planning, construction, and operation," provides a gracious centerpiece for the preserve. It houses the Pennsylvania Audubon Society. The Center has hosted over 25,000 visitors, including school, scouting, and social groups, as well as home schoolers and college students. In fact, the Lick classroom is one of HACC’s laboratory sites. Of particular interest are the restrooms; the partitions are designed from soda bottles, with replicas of animal scat on the floor to instruct — and sometimes surprise — visitors. The roof of the building is fashioned from diapers and old tires. An ever-expanding gift shop is located in the reception area. Adults and children can find treasures, both collectors’ and inexpensive items, to take with them as a reminder of their time at Wildwood. Income from the gift shop supports the Friends of Wildwood Lake, a non-profit organization that works in support of Wildwood Lake Sanctuary.

In the words of Nancy Dawson Dollard, Director of The Wildwood Lake Sanctuary since June of 1999, "I sought an urban nature center in a rural setting and a quieter way of life." She was attracted to this place after serving as a park ranger and environmental educator in San Diego. Becky Stabler, Assistant Director of Wildwood and Director of Environmental Education whose major responsibility includes selecting, training, and overseeing the volunteers, states that "Wildwood is in a period of dynamic growth. We actively seek ideas from the community and assistance with implementation of these ideas." Schools, Stabler elaborated, have been involved because of the "wetland curriculum" offered. While she has been at Wildwood for 10 years, Stabler emphasized that she was attracted to her position initially because of the opportunities to develop an Environmental Education program as well as public programming, which we expanded each year of operation. She mentioned — and Dawson Dollard enthusiastically concurred — that seeing the children’s faces as they introduce their parents to Wildwood after a field trip makes their jobs worthwhile. They also expressed appreciation to Ed Chubb, Director of Dauphin County Parks and Recreation Department, and the county commissioners who are very supportive of the staff and volunteers. John Payne, Chair of the Dauphin County Board of Commissioners, contributed the following quotation: "As residents of Dauphin county, we are very fortunate to have a parks system that not only provides local outdoor recreation opportunities, but one that also provides educational opportunities and low-cost cultural trips to places such as New York City and Canada. Over the next four years, residents can expect to see many more programs offered through the county parks, as well as more initiatives to expand property holdings throughout the county. We would very much like to see a county park or county/municipal partnership in every region of Dauphin County."

Dawson Dollard and Stabler also emphasized the desire to expand programming at Wildwood, and said that there are ample opportunities for volunteering there. Volunteers do everything from giving tours to feeding the birds. As more volunteers join, the staff is hoping to place trained representatives along the trails during the weekends to enhance visitors’ appreciation of Wildwood. A one-person crew, along with volunteers, led by Volunteer Coordinator Allen Marshall, maintains the park’s beauty. A pavilion and tables encourage visitors to enjoy a picnic, surrounded by outdoor splendor.

Wildwood is lovely in every season with its ever-changing flora, fauna, and hues. For more information, call the Olewine Nature Center at 221-0292.