Center For The Inland Bays - A Bulding For Our Bays

Coming Home to the Watershed

The timing couldn’t be better.

The Center for the Inland Bays is coming home to the watershed at a time of unprecedented change.

The former Coast Guard barrack in Delaware Seashore State Park is being re-designed and re-built to become “A Building for Our Bays.” For the first time in its ten year history, the CIB will be located within the watershed.

In this time of rapid population growth, intensive development, and fundamental change in the economy and land use, this facility will give focus and locus for the important work ahead.

Where residents and visitors can come to see exhibits and learn about the estuary and how they can help to improve the condition of our waterways.
Where citizens groups, advisory committees and the Bays’ many stakeholders can gather and work together on issues affecting the Bays.
Where staff, researchers and scientists can work in proximity to the Bays in a building designed to facilitate this work.

This landmark facility will serve as a public expression of our watershed-wide work; to help preserve the beauty and natural resources that make this area so desirable.

With the pressures on our land and water growing, the mandate given to the Center for the Inland Bays when it was established in 1995 is more critical than ever. This growing challenge requires renewed determination and innovative thinking to restore, conserve and protect the Bays.

With your help, we will begin our second decade on the north shore of Indian River Bay, in sight and sound and smell of our estuary. A functional and inspirational place where citizens, scientists, staff and volunteers can work together for the good of our Inland Bays.

Greening up our new building
"First we shape our buildings, and then they shape us.” - Sir Winston Churchill

Recently, staff members at CIB have given a lot of attention to the words Sir Winston Churchill spoke on rebuilding the Houses of Parliament following the bombings of WWII. Certainly, the Center is not reconstructing a symbol of our nation from amidst the rubble and ruins of war. But, the words do resonate with us as we strive to renovate a facility to serve as the public face of our mission and objectives.