NORFOLK, Va. — For several years, the Elizabeth River Project has always imagined a space where many can come to understand climate change and its impacts on Hampton Roads. That idea soon became known as the Louis and Pru Ryan Resilience Lab.
The $8 million living lab is designed to teach people in Hampton Roads how to adapt to the changing climate and rising sea levels. The Elizabeth River Project said the lab "explores, displays, and models key concepts and approaches that will lead the way to a more sustainable future."
After years of construction, a grand opening celebration is planned for Saturday, June 1.
Elizabeth River Project Executive Director Marjorie Jackson said the lab has a life span of roughly 50 to 100 years before the sea level gets close to the building. That’s when she says the organization will take the facility down.
“And let the wetlands keep going," she said. "So that the site is going back to the river and the wetlands.”
Saturday's grand opening of the Ryan Resilience Lab is rain or shine from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 4610 Colley Avenue in Norfolk. The event is free and includes electric boat rides, kayak tours, door prizes, and food. Donations are appreciated to support a healthy Elizabeth River.