Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo

Scott Koch plugs away at one of the dioramas in the Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph, which is now slated to open in mid-November after months of delays.

The anticipated launch date over Fourth of July weekend came and went without the new Remington Nature Center of St. Joseph. Reason: The Missouri River flooded.

The second week in August launch date came and went, too. Reason: setup of the 7,000-gallon aquarium.

Now, the grand opening is slated for mid-November. Reasons for delay: to bring in more taxidermal animals, to put the final touches on exhibits and to acclimate marine life in the aquarium.

The 15,000-square-foot Nature Center will be the Riverfront Park system’s main attraction. It has cost more than $5 million to build.

The facility was nearly eight years in the making. City Parks Director Bill McKinney feels anticipation in the community growing.

“I think people will really like the entire place,” Mr. McKinney said. “Everything from the front door to the back door.”

The Nature Center is being constructed with $5 million in public funds. The city, county, state and federal governments each contributed $1 million.

Nature Center overruns have largely been absorbed through about 30 private donors, including St. Joseph residents Wes and Patsy Remington — namesakes of the facility. The dollar amount they gifted hasn’t been disclosed.

Over the summer, the city also tapped about $500,000 from its Riverboat Gaming fund to cover additional Nature Center costs.

On Saturday, the Nature Center was only a backdrop for “Rockin’ on the River” at Riverfront Park, which featured food, music, games for kids and a classic car display.

The free event was sponsored by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce — as an encore to Parties on the Parkway.

“Parties on the Parkway features our Parkway system in St. Joseph,” said Natalie Leonard-Redmond, coordinator for Parties on the Parkway. “But we also want to bring attention back to the Riverfront Park system.”

Ahmad Safi can be reached at ahmadsafi@npgco.com.