New Evert Visitor Center Boosts Clovis Garden’s Community Role
Clovis Botanical Garden has opened the 2,460-square-foot Evert Family Visitor Center, a $2 million facility designed by Fresno architect Arthur Dyson to expand meetings, lectures, hands-on demonstrations and a planned artisan gift shop. The addition strengthens the garden’s year‑round programming and community access at Dry Creek Park, which remains free and open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.
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The Clovis Botanical Garden unveiled the Evert Family Visitor Center this week, adding 2,460 square feet of indoor space intended to host meetings, lectures and hands-on demonstrations, and to house a future artisan gift shop. Designed by Fresno architect Arthur Dyson, the $2 million project is intended to broaden the garden’s capacity for year‑round programming and community engagement.
Located in Dry Creek Park, the garden continues to offer free public access Wednesday through Sunday. Garden officials say the new center will allow the site to increase the number and variety of events it can offer to residents of Clovis and greater Fresno County, from educational programs to volunteer training and community meetings.
The center’s creation reflects both a local economic investment and an expansion of public amenities. The $2 million project supported local design and construction activity and signifies private or philanthropic backing for a public greenspace that serves families, seniors and area school groups. By increasing indoor program space, the garden can offer workshops and seasonal activities that are less weather dependent, helping sustain engagement throughout the year.
Beyond cultural and recreational value, the visitor center may carry public health benefits for Fresno County residents. Urban and suburban green spaces are important venues for stress reduction, physical activity and social connection. Expanded programming that includes horticultural demonstrations, nutrition or gardening workshops, and gatherings for older adults or youth could complement county health priorities by promoting wellness, healthy eating and social cohesion. The center’s hands-on areas also create opportunities for therapeutic or educational partnerships with schools, community health providers and nonprofit organizations working to address health disparities.
The facility’s free admission policy most days of the week supports social equity by keeping the garden accessible to low-income residents and families who might otherwise face barriers to cultural and environmental education. At the same time, the limited public schedule — Wednesday through Sunday — means the garden will need to balance expanded programming with the needs of people who work nontraditional hours or lack daytime transportation.
Looking ahead, the planned artisan gift shop offers potential to showcase local artists and makers while generating modest revenue to sustain programming. The center’s meeting and lecture spaces could also serve as a hub for neighborhood groups, environmental education and county public health outreach, strengthening ties between green space stewardship and community wellbeing.
As the Clovis Botanical Garden integrates the Evert Family Visitor Center into its operations, the facility is positioned to deepen its role as a civic resource—one that provides cultural, educational and health‑promoting opportunities for Fresno County residents.
