Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park

Transcription

1 Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park Conceptual Plan Pueblo Community College Fremont Campus 8/10/2015 The Pueblo Community College Fremont Campus Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park (CTT) provides a quality educational experience for all ages by encouraging an understanding and appreciation for the region s rich paleontological, geological, and historical heritage. Its location is literally a crossroads where the planet s and its inhabitants stories intersect, tying together the deep-time geological past to the history of the people and places of the Fremont County Region.

2 CTT goes beyond aiding students and visitors in understanding the area s rich heritage. This project further enriches our community by being a connection with and destination point for the Riverwalk trail system. A 2012 US Forest Service study showed that over half of those surveyed engage is some form of physical activity. This park will help students, residents, and visitors stay active and healthy, while providing mental stimulation and encouraging learning. Not only will the project aid in grasping the timing and duration of natural processes that have shaped the earth, as well as their implications for understanding climate change, it will also address environmental education and sustainability in an understandable manner for people of all ages. Built in a way that protects and enhances the environmental integrity of the site, the project will include natural and historically appropriate landscaping features that will attract the interest of gardening and birding enthusiasts. As an educational focal point for campus students and K-12 field trips, a gateway for visitors, and a destination for those interested in paleontology, geology, and history, plus an opportunity for all to keep fit; Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park will embody and enhance the Fremont County community and region. The Crossroads through Time Steering Committee has been meeting since July Participants and their local affiliations are listed at the end of the Conceptual Plan

3 CROSSROADS THROUGH TIME HERITAGE PARK Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park has two major sections: a Geology Time Trail, and a People and Places (History) Trail. By including educational, cultural, and artistic displays, each will augment campus activities, encourage public visitation, and enhance local lifestyle. From the Geology Time Trail, multiple geologic rock formations are visible in all directions It is also in close proximity to some for the greatest paleontological discoveries and excavations made in the late 1800s up to today. The People and Places Trail begins at a time thousands of years ago with the Pre-Clovis/Paleo-Indians and runs to present time.

4 The Geology Time Trail In an effort to illustrate our rich geological and paleontological heritage, including events which occurred in Fremont County as well as in the global scene, a 2,300 foot trail will ring the perimeter of the field between PCC and Highway 50. At 1 foot equals 1 million years, this length corresponds to half the history of the Earth (2.3 billion years). This scale provides a perspective of the deep time involved in a way that participants can comprehend, and in the process educates our community and others about the formation and history of familiar venues in our own back yard, expanding peoples horizons and leading to an appreciation of our unique landscape. A trailhead will be established to enable a general introduction to local geology, geologic time, trail use, and additional places to go for more information. The trail will include informational displays focusing on key milestone events important in our local geology story: dinosaurs, the ancestral Rocky Mountains, the Western Interior Seaway, and the earliest vertebrates on the planet. A variety of local rocks and boulders will be utilized along the trails in the time period they represent. Rocks, slabs, and boulders will be utilized as seating locations, creative landscaping, and informational displays. Small signs will call attention to geologic events not dealt with at waysides, and small markers will be placed on the bed of the trail indicating 100 foot/100 million year increments.

5 The Geology Time Trail

6 In addition to its educational offerings, over time, enhancements to the trail system will be developed to make it both fun and recreational. This will be achieved by a variety of projects and programs including a connection to the Arkansas River Walk, a labyrinth, a group seating area (small amphitheater), native prairie vegetation, a Jurassic plant garden, additional dinosaur sculptures, and rock art such as carvings or stacked stones. We will provide round or flat stones for visitors to construct their own stacked stones displays. Currently the area is utilized for Frisbee golf by college students and it is possible to incorporate this activity in new and creative ways. This trail will enable introductions to other important local geology sites including the Royal Gorge, Garden Park Fossil Area, Red Canyon Park, and Skyline Drive. It will also maintain a strong connection to the Royal Gorge Regional Museum and other local trail networks. In the future the trail location has the capability to continue to grow, expanding to include additional rock walls, more geologic waysides, and additional campus access points.

7 The People and Places Trail The objective of this approximately 2,000 foot People and Places Interpretive Trail is to present the story of the people, places, activities and circumstances that have touched, and been touched by, the Fremont County Region. Waysides along the trail will include informative signs, artifacts, representations and art pieces. PCC students and community members are encouraged to participate in researching and organizing displays. The Fremont Campus Colorado History courses will use the People and Places Trail for learning purposes and will be involved in classes that include development of possible future displays, activities, and K-12 curriculum. The first section of the trail From the Early Coloradans will include the Paleo-Indians, the Spanish and the French. Displays will include information from the end of the last Ice Age, the first people in the region, and the Spanish that traveled through the area. One display will be designed to enlighten visitors about the Spanish battle against Greenhorn that happened just south of the campus. The second section of the trail will cover highlights of the 19 th Century The 1800s. Starting with early explorers, it will include stories of mountain men, fur traders, and international border disputes. Informational displays showing historical events such as the gold rush, the founding of villages and towns, railroad builders, cattlemen and farmers, and the silver boom will all be present. Displays will include a replica of the blockhouse that Zebulon Pike built within view of today s PCC Fremont campus and a rock garden designed to represent the map Pike drew showing this region and his travels. Visitors will be able to walk the path that Pike traveled via this replica. The Railroad War and the Native Americans of this region will all be represented. An informational display about the Colorado Territorial/State Prison farms and ranches in the region has already been built and will be included.

8 The People and Places Trail

9 The 20th Century (third) segment of the People and Place Interpretive Trail will include displays about the Progressive Era, the 1920s, involvement in the World Wars, the movies that were filmed in this region, and the booms and busts of the times. Displays regarding the Sand Creek Prison Gardens located at what are now the current grounds of the Fremont campus of PCC and another about when the prison gardens property was deeded to the college have been built and will be displayed. The final section of the People and Places Trail, tentatively titled The 21st Century, will exhibit current and future history. The Iron Mountain and Royal Gorge fires and the construction of new schools (Harrison School and Florence High School) will be presented during this part of the trail. The history of the people of the Fremont County Region, and those who passed through, will be chronicled. Stories regarding the land, the river, the towns and the wildlife will be told along this trail. Day-to-day activities, the circumstances the people lived under, and their connections with the past, the present, and the future will unfold as students and visitors take a stroll through the crossroads of people and places.

10 Budget and Cost Assumptions: The CTT budget incorporates four phases of the project. The initial tasks are to paint the stegosaur sculpture and complete the first half a billion years (500 feet) of the Geology Trail. o Tasks Costs Estimates Stegosaurus repair and paint $1,600 First 500 feet of Geology Trail - $2,500 Phase One completion will include finishing the Geology Trail and constructing a parking lot and the People and Places trail, including informative signs and waysides. Phase Two is focused on enhancements to the two trails and additional waysides such as informational displays, steps at the Stegosaurus sculpture, benches, and picnic tables. Later phases include the Stego amphitheater, full implementation of Jurassic garden, new sculptures, and a replica of Zebulon Pike s block house and a rock garden laid out representing the map Pike drew of this region. For a more detailed account of budget and cost assumptions check the website Benefits: The Crossroads trail network will have a broad cross section of users including: Arkansas River Walk connection- Bikers and Hikers PCC students and staff campus walking and even Frisbee golf participants Local and regional classes for K-12 and students of any age Fitness enthusiasts a place to work out or to sit and meditate Local artists and art students sculpting, landscape, and other art projects Local gardeners, and students interested in native prairie vegetation and a Jurassic Garden Birdwatchers fascinated with our local winged residents and visitors Heritage tourism those that take the time to see the sites and loop back into town over Skyline Drive. Community event organizers

11 Ways to Help There are several different options for those that would like to assist in this project. Donations: We encourage local organizations and individuals to provide money, professional expertise, or material donations for this community project. As a 501(c) 3, the Pueblo Community College Foundation and the CTT Steering Committee will welcome community help in bringing this vision to life. Donations can be directed through the Pueblo Community College Foundation, referencing the Fremont Crossroads Through Time. Volunteer Opportunities: Local community groups and associations are encouraged to participate in projects including landscaping, gardening, painting, and trail work. Youth groups will find this a great project for community participation. Sponsorships: Certain features such as displays, trailheads etc. will be available for sponsorships. Contacts: If you are interested in more detail on how you can support this project, please contact either: Cindy Smith ( or ) cindysmithrocks@me.com Jerry Davis ( ) gerald.davis@pueblocc.edu The Pueblo Community College Fremont Campus Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park (CTT) is not just interpretive trails, but an array of places to sit and reflect on this most interesting setting and if interested, the visitor can be a participant, not just be an observer. Projects will create various opportunities for the local community to provide geologic and historic display pieces, ideas, and support. Located at the western gateway to the city, Crossroads Through Time Heritage Park epitomizes the unity of the faculty, the students, and the Fremont Campus of Pueblo Community College with the community, the region and our heritage.

12 The Crossroads through Time Steering Committee participants and their local affiliations: PCC affiliated Affiliations Dr. Lana Carter Rotary Fremont Economic Development Council 16 years with PCC Gordon Bell 13 years as head of PCC Grounds and Facilities Cañon City Geology Club 5 years with US Forest Service - trail building Gerald Davis Gerald.Davis@pueblocc.edu 7 years as PCC History and Social Sciences teacher Kim Lins Bonnie.Lins@pueblocc.edu PCC Nursing faculty Cañon City Geology Club Kit Kederich kit_k_2001@yahoo.com PCC Geology adjunct teacher Cañon City Geology Club Troy Tucker ttucker33@student.cccs.edu President of Associated Student Government Aspen Mayhew Aspentree13@hotmail.com PCC Student, History major Roberta Hiller memorymirror@gmail.com Art student designing CTT logo Volunteers Belinda Avdek bjavdek@gmail.com Cañon City Geology Club Jim Nelson jim@econstrategy.net Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Heritage Commission Fremont Fall Heritage Festival 39 years of experience in Economic Development MA in Geography and Regional Development Pat Nelson pat@econstrategy.net Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Historical Society 29 years of experience in Community Assistance and Economic Development MA in Organizational Communication (7/14/15)

13 Christina Taylor Dr. Harold Taylor Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Historical Society Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Denver Gem and Mineral Guild Colorado School of Mines Denver and Pueblo Archeological Society Denver Museum of Nature & Science, paleontology program Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Denver Gem and Mineral Guild Colorado School of Mines Denver and Pueblo Archeological Society Former Asst. Professor at Colorado School of Mines (7 years), PhD in Math Dan Grenard Cañon City Geology Club Bureau of Land Management - retired geologist Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Dr. Millie Wintz drwoodsy2@gmail.com Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Fremont County Historical Society Fremont County Heritage Commission Florence Preservation Commission Florence Arts Council Florence Chamber of Commerce Southern Rockies Crossroads of Culture Fremont Fall Heritage Festival Former high school Science teacher and Director of Education, Curriculum Theory Formation, Environmental Science

14 Melissa Smeins Bureau of Land Management - geologist Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Mary Chamberlain meschamberlain@gmail.com Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Historical Society Fremont County Heritage Commission Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Southern Rockies: Crossroads of Cultures - president Former teacher, MA with emphasis in Science (taught 31 years, 5 as Gifted Education Coordinator) Linda Skinner lsyoga96@yahoo.com Bureau of Land Management - recreation planner Fremont County Heritage Commission Environmental Education Naturally Core Team Cindy Smith cindysmithrocks@me.com Cañon City Geology Club Fremont County Historical Society Fremont County Stones 'n Bones Denver Museum of Nature & Science - volunteer Denver Museum of Nature & Science paleontology certificate Colorado School of Mines cataloguing volunteer WIPS Invertebrate study group Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society Former high school English and ESL teacher, MA in Linguistics (taught 18 years)

15 CROSSROADS THROUGH TIME HERITAGE PARK