Rows of houses are not far away, but the view at Lawrence’s newest nature preserve and fishing area is all rural and scenic.

The sounds you’ll hear range from chirping birds to an occasional ripple of water. You might even hear the call of a wild turkey coming from a distant stand of trees or see a wandering deer.

“This is an opportunity for people to experience the natural world. That was important to me when I was growing up,” John McGrew said as he stood near the bank of one of three ponds at what is now the Pat Dawson Billings Nature Area.

Near 27th Street and Crossgate Drive, the 42-acre nature preserve was donated to the city of Lawrence by McGrew, owner of McGrew Real Estate. Dawson Billings was a Lawrence school teacher and wife of the late Bob Billings, a developer and founder of Alvamar Development. Both were friends of McGrew. Dawson Billings died in 1975, and her husband died in 2003.

Although the nature area has been in the development for the past few years and people had occasionally fished there, it will be officially opened to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday, Parks and Recreation director Fred DeVictor said. McGrew will make the ceremonial first cast with a fishing rod and reel.

The public is invited to visit the preserve and fish, and parents are especially urged to bring their children, DeVictor said. And while fishing may be the main experience, visitors may spy other wildlife at the site, McGrew said.

“We’ll keep this a natural area,” DeVictor said. “John had established quite a nice stand of prairie grass, and we’ve enhanced that.”

The nature area is part of an effort to keep a buffer of natural areas between residential neighborhoods and the west end of the South Lawrence Trafficway, DeVictor said.

The two larger ponds on the Dawson Billings land have been stocked with a variety of fish, including channel catfish, bass, walleye and bluegill, DeVictor said. State fishing license laws apply, and the fishing will be monitored by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

McGrew hopes the nature area will provide children with an impetus for getting out of the house and enjoying nature.

“More people are talking about how kids have a nature deficit and are in front of the computer all the time,” he said. “They live in virtual reality, and they are not close enough to nature. That’s what we hope this can become, a way to address that and let them have this as their nature classroom.”

Dawson Billings is the third park land McGrew has donated to the city. In 1997 he donated 18 acres that became the Kanza Southwind Nature Preserve, and in 1986 he donated the 15-acre Conrad and Viola McGrew Nature Preserve, named after his parents.

“John is an outdoor person, and it’s been a great relationship,” DeVictor said. “We’re really fortunate to be able to work together.”

On Wednesday morning, Chris Schmidt and his 6-year-old son, Christjen, enjoyed an hour of fishing at the nature area. Schmidt brought all three of his young sons to the area to fish Sunday for the first time, he said.

“It was a lot of fun for the kids,” he said. “They were catching something as quick as I could put on worms.”

On this morning, Christjen caught eight bluegills before leaving. “It’s great,” he said of the fishing.

First cast

The Pat Dawson Billings Nature Area is near 27th Street and Crossgate Drive in southwestern Lawrence. A grand opening with the ceremonial first cast with a rod and reel will be at 9 a.m. Saturday. Park hours will be from 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. seven days per week.