Early Learning Center exhibit opening party

Walk, bike, or drive to the Waukegan Public
Library’s all-new transportation exhibit, “The Places You’ll Go”, opening on
Dec. 8 in its children’s department. The exhibit, funded exclusively by North
Shore Gas, features 2,200 square-feet of car, bike, plane, train, and boat
displays and interactive learning centers. The exhibit grand opening event from
1 to 3 p.m. is open to the public, free of charge, and includes entertainment, refreshments,
and fun activities for the whole family.

“The Places You’ll Go” includes hands-on
elements that teach children about the role of transportation in their lives.
Covering the most relevant modes of transportation, the exhibit will include an
auto repair shop, a train station with caboose, flight simulator and airplane
cockpit, wind tunnel, and bicycles on stands. The exhibit will also help
develop map-reading skills, teach the elements of flight, and help children
recognize street signs. In addition, a G-scale model train will run above the
children’s department desk all year.

In addition to learning about practical everyday
modes of transportation, the exhibit will also include information on energy
efficient ways to travel. Energy generators attached to children’s bicycles
will teach children how much energy they could potentially generate just by
riding their bikes. Information on solar powered cars and vehicles that use
Compressed Natural Gas will also be included.

“In addition to making sure that our exhibit is
an exciting learning experience for families each year, we try to include an
element of environmental education for both parents and children. For
transportation, we thought it was important to include ways that kids can both save
energy and make energy in their day to day lives,” said Elizabeth Stearns, Assistant
Director of Community Services.

In addition to North Shore Gas, pieces of the
exhibit were sponsored by Waukegan Tire, Michelin, and BRP and Evinrude
Outboard Motors. The Waukegan Bike Project donated bicycles for kids and adults
to pedal.

After the ribbon-cutting, students in grades 6
to 8 from Jack Benny Middle School will perform holiday songs for guests, children
will be able to race remote control cars on a large track in the Bradbury Room,
and families can take part in the NASCAR pit stop challenge to see how fast
they can remove and replace sports car tires. Tickets to the Volo Auto Museum will
be raffled off to guests.

The launch of “The Places You’ll Go” marks
the fifth year of rotating exhibits in the children’s department at the
Waukegan Public Library, following “Dig the Dinosaurs”, “Under the Sea”, “Creepy
Crawlies” and the most recent “Oink, Baa, Moo”. Each exhibit, including all programs,
displays and installation, is funded exclusively by donations from North Shore
Gas and the Morrison Family.

The library’s Early Learning Center will be
closed beginning Nov. 25 until the grand opening while workers install the
displays. For more information about “The Places You’ll Go”, call Rena Morrow, Marketing,
Programming, and Exhibits Manager at the library, at (847) 623-2041, ext. 231.