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| Helen Hunt Falls visitor center coming down | |||
| Thursday, December 08, 2011 15:23 |
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A rendering of the new visitor center. Courtesy of Way Architects
BY R. SCOTT RAPPOLD “The roof leaks, so we constantly have water dripping on the counters,” said volunteer Thelma Peck. “The present building, we’re scared to death every time we get a big snow that it may come down by itself,” said city parks director Kurt Schroeder. “It really is being held together by spider webs.” Next summer, visitors and volunteers won’t have to kneel like Tebow during a field goal before stepping inside the popular building. “The Cub” is coming down. Thursday, members of the Friends of Cheyenne Cañon group told the Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation Advisory Board they have raised the $80,000 needed to tear down the venerable structure and replace it with a new visitor center, one that will maintain the classic log-cabin style - without the leaks and mice. “We will attempt to make it look old, like it’s been there for 50 years, as best we can,” said Lee Wolf, with the Friends group. The squat log structure was an out-building to the Bruin Inn, which burned down decades ago. Open during summer, it’s a place for visitors to ask questions, get out of the sun and buy a drink or souvenir, staffed by volunteers. It gets about 35,000 visitors a year. The Friends have been raising money for years to replace it, with Bristol Brewing Co. donating proceeds from its Cheyenne Cañon Ale to the cause. Designed by Dough Fullen, of Way Architects, which is doing the project for free, the new building will keep the old look and amenities. Said Wolf, “The idea was to keep this unimproved, primitive nature, just a couple of light bulbs and if you want to use the john it’s just down the road.” Parks staff will demolish the building in March or April. Donations have gotten the Friends group this far, and Wolf is counting on more. The group is looking for roofers, electricians, concrete pourers and lumber companies who want to “be good neighbors” and donate time and resources. Visit the group’s website, www.tfocc.org, for more information |
