Design nears completion for Dalton STEAM Playlab exhibits, fall opening eyed

Bryce Buyakie, The Daily Record
·3 min read
Delight Howells in the kitchen of the LincWay Cafe & Market. The eatery doubles as a food court for the STEAM Playlab.
Delight Howells in the kitchen of the LincWay Cafe & Market. The eatery doubles as a food court for the STEAM Playlab.

DALTON − Walking into the STEAM Playlab, Lori Colon envisions an atrium that leads into a lost city. It is a maze of crumbling buildings reclaimed by nature and native Wayne County trees.

A faux river runs through the city leading to a broken-down boat. A massive tree grows out from it. The bow seconds as a stage for event hosting while the stern has interactive games and climbing walls for kids.

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An exterior view of the Lincway Center on U.S. Route 30 just west of Dalton, where the much-anticipated STEAM Playlab eyes a fall opening.
An exterior view of the Lincway Center on U.S. Route 30 just west of Dalton, where the much-anticipated STEAM Playlab eyes a fall opening.

From the boat, guests can navigate to roughly 10 interactive exhibits that showcase STEAM learning — science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

For now, this 44,000-square-foot warehouse-like space on the outskirts of Dalton is empty as these concepts only exist on planning documents, but that could soon change as the design phase nears completion.

In the coming weeks, Colon said fabrication on the exhibits will likely begin, setting her on track to open the STEAM Playlab in the fall. But this timeline depends on two factors: the supply chain and funding.

Favorite spaces

One section of the STEAM Playlab will feature an Out of this World area where kids will be able to design rockets and planes and launch them from a 42-foot pad. The design phase is near completion and fundraising is ongoing.
One section of the STEAM Playlab will feature an Out of this World area where kids will be able to design rockets and planes and launch them from a 42-foot pad. The design phase is near completion and fundraising is ongoing.

For Colon, it is difficult to pinpoint her favorite space. Two stand out.

Inspired by her grandfather, Colon's top exhibit is titled Out of this World.

It will feature items and information from her grandfather's time at NASA when he worked as a controller for Apollo programs 13 through 15.

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"Kids can create and design rockets and planes that they can launch on a 42-foot launch pad," Colon said. "They can also create and design rovers."

She is also excited about the atrium, which people will be able to rent for a variety of events. The space is connected to LincWay, giving it added exposure and individuals more opportunities to make the most of the space.

Inflation, supply chain problems

Lori Colon explains the different areas of the planned STEAM Playlab, meant to inspire future careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Lori Colon explains the different areas of the planned STEAM Playlab, meant to inspire future careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Since its inception in 2019, she said, supply chain issues and inflation have plagued the project, causing the timeline to slow and stretch beyond what she first imagined.

With recent higher costs, Colon and her design team at the Columbus-based Boss Display have cut back on some exhibits to save money.

"We've had to scale down and eliminate some things because of inflation," she said.

Some exhibits could be delayed due to supply chain slowdowns that remain since the start of COVID-19, she said.

Fundraising critical to keep project on target

Funds are still being sought for construction of a Wayne County Children's STEAM Playlab, which could open this fall depending on a successful fundraising campaign. The goal is $7 million. About half of the money has been raised.
Funds are still being sought for construction of a Wayne County Children's STEAM Playlab, which could open this fall depending on a successful fundraising campaign. The goal is $7 million. About half of the money has been raised.

Colon has raised roughly half of the $7 million goal to fund the hands-on museum. Nearly every week she has meetings with companies and individuals about sponsoring exhibits or donating funds to make the space a reality.

Since the fundraiser kicked off in 2020, the process has been slow and steady. Three years later, she said, they are at a critical time in the campaign.

"If we don't get the proper funding, we will need to pause the fabrication and build process," Colon said. That could push the grand opening into 2024.

All funds go toward creating a fun but educational space for children in grades one through eight, she said.

"I want it to inspire young kids to become that next engineer or go into science or find that thing they're passionate about," Colon said. "It's also a way for companies outside of Wayne County to get exposure here by sponsoring an exhibit."

As of early February, several companies from around the Wayne County area and nearby counties have agreed to sponsor exhibits.

While the $7 million goal is intimidating, every cent counts.

"It doesn't matter if you can only give a dollar, everything helps," she said.

Anyone can send individual donations to Colon or take part in the 25/12 campaign, where participants donate $25 every month for a year. Brain Boxes are also available to purchase as a small taste of what is to come at the playlab.

To learn more about the STEAM Playlab or to donate, visit the Facebook page and website at wccsp.org.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: LincWay STEAM Playlab nears next phase of interior construction