A Thompson Rivers University Education Centre near Clearwater is getting $150,000 from the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation.

The funding was approved by Clearwater council this week, and Mayor Merlin Blackwell says the education centre will be a great opportunity for TRU.

“It’s right in the middle of the wilderness of Wells Gray Park, and it’ll get a lot of young people and even older people that are relearning to get out and see things in the classroom of nature,” he said.  “It’s a beautiful place out there, and there’s going to be lots of opportunities once they have this classroom and this base camp for exploring everything that is out in Wells Grey area.”

Blackwell says part of the funding agreement will see a classroom named after the Wells Gray Community Forest Corporation.

The university has been eyeing an expansion to their current facilities in the area for a number of years.

“It’s going to be bunk houses, a living quarters, kitchens, and meeting rooms – You do your lunch and breakfast there, but your day is going to be primarily spent in Wells Gray and the surrounding areas, and hopefully forestry and a few others things that happen up there,” Blackwell added.

He believes the area is ‘a basket of opportunities’ for people to experience, and the facility he says will lead to endless opportunities in Wells Gray Country.