The Nature Center sustained smoke and water damage following a March 2 fire at its Robinson Bay Road location. The fire destroyed a state park carpentry shop and left the park's administrative area, police offices and the Nature Center unsuitable for occupancy.

The New York Power Authority is committed to rebuilding the Nature Center at Robert Moses State Park, but officials there are hoping to get more community input on where to reconstruct the facility. The Nature Center brought in 30 school groups this past spring at its temporary location at Barnhart beach. They also continued to offer weekend programs off-site, thanks to the donation of space by area organizations. From March through June, the small staff also visited numerous schools to teach special environmental education classes. Now they are visited by families and campers at its summer location. Daily recreation programs are offered, as well as week-long day camps focusing in Art and Nature.

The Daily Courier Observer in Massena, NY published the following information on June 5, 2010: "We're going to rebuild - the question is where," Mr. Kessel said. The center could be rebuilt on the same site or relocated to a different area of the park, perhaps closer to the Hawkins Point Visitors' Center, which also draws tourists and visitors, Mr. Kessel said.

"We really need to get some community input on where people want it," the NYPA head said. "We've gotten lots of e-mails about it. We'll be taking a look at it in the next few months." Mr. Kessel suggested some sort of community-driven survey on the future Nature Center location could help NYPA decide what it plans to do.

Mr. Kessel said he has received a number of calls and messages about the trail system, which many people miss having access to, but he noted the power authority has attempted to keep the public away from the fire site until they determine if there is any contamination there.

The Friends of the Nature Center at Robert Moses State Park, Inc. have been raising money to help the center recover from the fire. Mr. Marshall, President of the Friends, said that with the outpouring of support they have received from the community, the Friends are hoping to move forward with building a new center as soon as possible.

To contact the center or make a donation toward the recovery effort, call 764-5498 or e-mail ncrebirth@yahoo.com, or visit their website at www.nynaturecenter.org.