A nine-year journey, starting with the three-year effort to get Fountain Hills designated as an International Dark Sky Community, has finally led to the groundbreaking of the International Dark Sky Discovery Center, an amazing and unique 23,000-square-foot STEM science facility.

Mark your calendars for Monday, April 8, at 10:30 a.m. and join us on the building site adjacent to the library to see history in the making and at the same time experience a partial solar eclipse.  Solar viewing glasses will be provided, and the eclipse will also be shown on a large monitor.  There won’t be another partial solar eclipse of this magnitude in the Phoenix area for 21 years.

At this special event, I will share introductory remarks followed by Mayor Ginny Dickey, State Senator John Kavanagh, a representative from Arizona State University, and students from the Fountain Hills Unified School District. This will be followed by a blessing of the ground by Raphael Bear, a Yavapai Nation Elder.

We are so thankful for the broad support throughout our great community and encourage your attendance at this celebratory gathering. The PR firm helping with this event has said that the bigger the crowd, the more media coverage we will receive. So, join us and help us be a part of Fountain Hills history. 

Exciting times are ahead as construction begins. About every six weeks, we send an email update to our 1,200 subscribers. To stay tuned to the excitement, I encourage you sign up by going to our website, DarkSkyCenter.org, and clicking on the contact tab. You will enjoy the updates and photos of the upcoming construction phase.

Don't miss this chance to be a part of history as we embark on this stellar journey!  We are looking forward to seeing all our Discovery Center friends!

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.