"We are disappointed that funding for making the first year operation was not raised but we're willing to put more time into it because we think a cultural institution of this caliber should get off the ground." Haar is a principal along with her husband in the Boston Planning Institute Inc. in Cambridge, which is charged with developing the facility on three blocks of land near South Station.
The plan calls for a year-round facility housing plants from around the world, hands-on exhibits, and environmental educational materials to be built on the site along with an outdoor garden. Haar says a $100,000 grant from the city has kept the project alive since it was announced in March 2004 but "we've had no income beyond that."
Haar said while she is aware of how difficult it is to raise money for the project, , she is hoping the group will continue to build relationships with private contributors to make the Darwin Project a reality. "It's very difficult in general to raise funding for a cultural institution but its also even harder to raise funding for environmental and greenspace projects." The group also is awaiting approval of a formal designation from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority that will allow proponents to present the plan to potential donors.
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