Rome-Floyd ECO Center

About Rome-Floyd ECO Center

The Rome-Floyd ECO Center is an environmental education center at Ridge Ferry Park, 393 Riverside Parkway NE, in downtown Rome, Georgia. The center's website states that it operates as a joint department of the City of Rome and Floyd County governments and provides educational programs and events centered on Georgia's biodiversity and native wildlife. Explore Georgia describes it as showcasing the diversity of the Etowah, Coosa and Oostanaula rivers, which converge in downtown Rome.

The center describes itself as having more than 25 live wildlife exhibits of reptiles, amphibians and fish native to the area, including snakes, turtles, lizards, frogs, salamanders and fish, plus static displays with infographics, professional mounts and interactive components. It states that it is permitted through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to collect and exhibit Georgia wildlife. The City of Rome describes large aquariums with native fish, turtles and frogs, live alligator and snake exhibits, and a wetland demonstration area. The center is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

History

The building was originally the Oostanaula freshwater pump station. According to the center's history page, the City of Rome built it in 1893 on the bank of the Oostanaula River to replace an outdated water system, using steam pumps that moved 2 million gallons of water per day through two 16-inch cast iron mains to the Jackson Hill waterworks. The original pipes remain visible in the lower level of the building. The center says the building operated as a pump station through the early 1990s, when a new complex was built beside it.

According to the center, city management proposed turning the unused building into a river education center, an idea that was included on the 2006 SPLOST ballot and passed. The center began hosting field trips in 2011, reaching roughly 600 students in its first year, and later grew to serving 12,000 students and adults annually.

According to the center, voters approved a SPLOST in 2017 that included upgrades to the facility. Demolition began in November 2023, and the doors reopened in March 2025. The renovation included converting a portion of the basement into classroom space and adding a new entrance, offices and an elevator, and expanding exhibits. Explore Georgia describes the building as LEED Gold certified. The center states that it now reaches over 25,000 people each year.

Exhibits and habitats

The center describes its exhibits as featuring the same species visitors may encounter in local backyards, trails, forests and rivers, and says it uses the building to explore the ecological diversity of the Coosa River Basin. Explore Georgia notes large tanks of native fish species, including the endangered sturgeon, and the city's page lists turtles, frogs, a live alligator and snakes.

Outside, the Wetlands Demonstration Area is a short walk from the center and features a small swamp open to the public for walking and observation. According to the center, the area was identified in the early 1990s as a low-lying section with poor drainage and confirmed hydric soil. Construction began in 1993 through a partnership among the City of Rome, the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission and the Coosa River Soil and Water Conservation District, funded by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program grant along with in-house work by city departments. The center says the manmade wetland has been self-sustaining ever since. In 2023, a grant from the International Paper Foundation funded educational infographics about ecology, habitat, soil and species.

The City of Rome describes the center as adjacent to the ECO Greenway and the playgrounds and picnic areas of Ridge Ferry Park.

Conservation and programs

The center lists school field trips on weekdays year-round, homeschool group visits, and custom programs for clubs, organizations, companies, church groups and summer camps. A monthly preschool program called Little Critters is listed for ages 3 to 5, and a monthly birding program called Bird Nirds is led by Master Birders Marcus and Whitney Edwards. Archery sessions are offered in spring, summer and fall, and a Bee Rome pollinator initiative is also listed.

The center's FAQ states that it does not accept surrendered pets, since animals from the pet trade do not meet its criteria as a native wildlife exhibitor, and it refers reptile owners to the Georgia Herpetological Association and Rescue or the Georgia Reptile Society. It also states that it is not licensed or equipped to rehabilitate wildlife. Its resources page links to Bee City USA for pollinator conservation. Program fees and registration details are on the center's website.

Planning your visit

As listed on the center's own website, walk-in visitors are welcome Monday through Friday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and on the last Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. The center says weekday mornings are typically reserved for educational programs and field trips during the school year, and that if the facility is not in use in the morning it opens to visitors at 8:30 am. Self-guided tours are listed as free of charge.

Free parking, picnic areas and picnic shelters are listed by Explore Georgia, which also describes the facility as accessible. The center's phone number is 706-622-6435.