Capital Improvement Project (CIP)

CIP Meetings and Contacts

PEEC has proposed a capital improvement project to build a county nature center. If funded, the building would be a county-owned facility run by a contractor.

At the January 19th meeting, the architects presented 3 designs to the public. The current primary design (for the Old Skateboard Park location) is shown in detail in:
Primary Design, January 2012 (PDF)

At the February 23rd meeting of the Capital Improvement Program Oversight Committee, the nature center proposal received a unanimous recommendation. Several committee members expressed strong sentiments that it should be located at the Canyon Road location. The next step is for the next phase and funding to be approved by the County Administator and Council.

For further information, visit the County's Nature Center CIP page to view project status and sign up for e-mail updates.

If you want to provide feedback or comments, please write to:

• Los Alamos County Council: countycouncil@lacnm.us
• PEEC Board of Directors: board@pajaritoeec.org

Sites

Two locations are being considered.

Further information

What's wrong with the current nature center?

• Unattractive. The existing building does not look like a nature center. It is a turn-off to any tourists or locals who venture to find it.
• Antiquated infrastructure: insufficient electrical outlets, poor plumbing, windows so old that replacement parts are not available.
• Bathrooms too small for disabled access or baby-changing facilities.
• No windows with a view.
• Inefficient: poorly insulated roof/walls, single-pane windows (some broken), water-intensive lawn.
• Owned by LAPS. Any investment into improving the building will ultimately be owned by the schools. This has been a strong disincentive for PEEC to invest money into this building.
• Parking lot is small and unsafe.
• Difficult to find.

What could PEEC do in a new building that PEEC cannot do now?

All of the following will be possible (or much easier) in a new building:

• A view!
• Convenient access from downtown.
• Children's discovery room
• Sufficient storage for rotating exhibits and teaching supplies
• Bird and wildlife observation area
• Learn from the building itself by providing an example of energy efficiency and water conservation
• Adequate parking
• Adequate electrical and computer lines
• Space for more exhibits; new exhibits
• Lecture room with good AV equipment
• Open-air education area
• More interactive exhibits, microscopes, etc., esp. for children
• Room to hire an executive director
• More science and astronomy activities
• A place that Los Alamos can be proud of!

Why is Canyon Rd. the top choice?

• Central location to downtown, businesses, restaurants, cultural district
• Easy to find, high visibility
• No lease issues
• Trees (shade); pleasant and welcoming
• Has the most options to connect with nature; trail access
• Great canyon views, showing the true beauty of Los Alamos
• Accessible to school, library, aquatic center, science museum
• Access to public transportation (near downtown circulator route)
• Site needs rehabilitation anyway (no need to disrupt a natural habitat to build)
• Available utilities
• Room for parking, gardens, and outdoor activities
• Good potential for wildlife viewing
• More respresentative of the local environment/habitat than other two sites
• Could be dramatic; intriguing variety of topography
• Solar access
• Night sky viewing

Could you renovate the existing L-wing building?

Renovation is one of the options being considered. Renovation would provide a good example for sustainable development by "recycling" the existing building. However, there are several factors that make this option difficult.

• PEEC's existing building is owned by LAPS. Thus there are somewhat more beaurocratic hurdles to work out.
• Bringing an old building "up to code" often costs as much (or more) than a new building. The existing building has not been significantly renovated since the 1950s and needs a lot of work.
• The schools are willing to lease, but are unlikely to sell the property (because of legal limitations on what they can do with the revenue from a sale).
• Renovation would require that the existing nature center be disbanded or relocated during the renovation.

Is the existing nature center utilized enough to justify a new one?

Visitation to PEEC has steadily increased over the 6 years that the organization has had a building (2005-2011). In 2008, visitors to PEEC included over 1600 children, 1800 adults, and approximately 500 school children on field trips. The chart shows the growth in usage of the PEEC website. The website usage indicates that there is a steeply increasing interest in the information and services offered by PEEC. Of note, our web pages describing local plants and wildlife are particularly popular. We feel that an exhibit center with modern, attractive exhibits would hold the same appeal. With a better facility, visitation at the center itself is likely to grow in a similar manner.

PEEC currently has about 250 dues-paying families and individuals; over 600 people subscribe to PEEC This Week, our weekly e-mail updates. This indicates that Los Alamos has a core group of people who are willing to support PEEC, even with the current facilities. If the facility had more to offer, we expect that this number would increase.

How will the public benefit from the project?

All segments of the populace in Los Alamos will benefit from an improved nature center. Time spent outdoors has many documented benefits to people, including better memory, better health, and better learning for children. PEEC has always emphasized the importance of getting people outdoors. PEEC's exhibits provide people with information that increases their interest in local outdoor opportunities. A nature center provides two basic benefits to visitors: enjoyment and education. Both benefits would be greatly enhanced by a more modern facility.

PEEC's interest in natural science is a good fit for Los Alamos. PEEC already works to augment science education in the schools. A better exhibit center will allow for the public at large to benefit from this expertise.

We live in an age when interest in the outdoors is at an all-time high. Thus it is timely that Los Alamos should build a higher-profile nature center. By creating a space that is visually attractive and has modern interactive exhibits, we hope to inspire the next generation of citizens. This nature center will be an investment in the children of the area and an investment in the vitality of the County.

What particular groups will benefit from a Nature Center?

Among the population of the local area, there are several specific groups that will derive particular benefit from an improved nature center:

• School children. Children have always been the top priority for PEEC. Field trips will surely be enhanced by an improved exhibit center.
• Preschoolers. Early education is very important, and PEEC hopes to expand its popular toddler and preschool classes.
• Families. Nature centers are popular low-cost family destinations. With a nicer center, PEEC could better serve this need.
• Pueblo children. PEEC has made a major effort to involve children from local pueblos in summer camps and other activities. These opportunities are likely to expand with a better facility.
• Homeschool and scout groups. PEEC offers classes geared toward these groups. The options for these classes would be expanded by a more inviting facility.
• Teens. PEEC currently offers some employment, research, and volunteer opportunities for teens. These offerings are likely to expand with a new center.
• Disabled persons. A new nature center will comply to current accessibility requirements.
• Volunteers. A new center would provide expanded volunteer opportunities for citizens of all ages.
• Tourists. The current PEEC building has relatively low attendance by out of town visitors. The reasons for this are poor signage, a lack of a modern facility and exhibits, and a slightly out-of-the-way location relative to downtown. A new center would provide a much better tourist destination.
• Birdwatchers and photographers. A new center would ideally include large windows that would provide a view of nature, including PEEC's bird feeders. This kind of viewing area is impossible in the current facility.
• Local businesses. PEEC buys locally. We are members of the local Chamber of Commerce. Money spent on a new facility would benefit many local businesses. Tourists will come to see the nature center and spend money at local businesses.
• Local organizations. PEEC has proven its ability to collaborate on a wide array of events and projects with local organizations, including the Bradbury Science Museum, the Valles Caldera, Bandelier, the YMCA, the schools, etc. A new facility would provide an improved space and more options for collaborative events and exhibits.

Why should LA County take on the business of running a nature center?

The services of the existing nature center are already being provided to the citizens of the County by PEEC, so it isn't really a new venture. Also, PEEC has already been supporting the educational mission of the Department of Public Utilities.

PEEC has a track record of fundraising, so the ongoing operational costs to the county will be low.

An attractive nature center will support the County's efforts to increase tourism and make Los Alamos an attractive place to live.

How can I help?

Please talk to everyone you know. Attend the CIP-related public meetings. Write a letter to the Monitor. Tell your county councilors that a good nature center would be a great asset to the community.