The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center officially has the green light to start construction on its new $7 million interpretative center.

The Austin City Council approved Met-Con Companies Construction Services from Faribault as the contractor to build the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center’s new interpretative center for $3,748,000.

The City Council also approved $104,000 for three alternates for the project to bring the total cost to $3,852,000.

The alternates will add a car charging station, a temporary fence for a wind break and a glazing on a few windows so birds won’t fly into them.

The Austin Parks and Rec Board approved the bid last Wednesday. The new interpretive center will replace the current facility and will have more space for classrooms, offices, exhibits, equipment storage, a children’s room and more.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the new interpretive center will be on April 22, Earth Day, but construction will likely begin before that date, if the weather allows. The project is expected to be completed and dedicated on Earth Day 2017.

The next lowest bid was for $3,786,000 from Joseph Company, an Austin company, but the city is required by state law to award the bid to the lowest bidder.

While much of the money for the $7 million project is already secured, Parks and Rec Director Kim Underwood said last week that there is still about $200,000 to raise for the new center.