COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Garden of the Gods is one of the most iconic spots in Colorado Springs — if not all of Colorado!
Its rock formations are millions of years old, but this weekend, it’s one of the park’s newer features that is in the spotlight: the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center!
When people think of visitor centers, they often think of them as just a place to grab a bite to eat, grab a map, use the restroom.
But the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center is an attraction in itself!
“The visitor center is not just for out-of-town guests,“ said Christina Haywood, executive director of the Garden of the Gods Foundation. ”The visitor center is here for the entire community. We have programs happening all day, every day, at the visitor center for kids of all ages. So we have educational programs for the littles, we have experiences for the adults like painting and yoga in the central garden. We’ve got something for everyone. It’s not just that once-a-year visit when grandma comes to visit, it is for everyone to come and visit as often as they like.”
Below: A tour of its geological tunnel and an only-of-its-kind dinosaur found at Garden of the Gods!
A free exhibit showcases a dinosaur found inside the park and let guests walk back through time to see how the famous red rocks were formed!
As compelling as its exhibits are, the most important part about the visitor center is the critical role it has played for three decades in caring for the park. When the Garden of the Gods founder gave the city of Colorado Springs the 480 acres of land that would become the world-famous park, there was one big requirement: it must remain free to the public. The city has kept that promise for over a century, but as the decades went on, the lack of revenue going into the park was beginning to show.
“Around 1995 was when the park was really starting to show signs of being loved to death,” Haywood explained. “The question was, ‘Why aren’t we upkeeping these trails?’ And the response was, ‘We’re doing the best we can with what we can.’”
She went on:
“The city has its city budget. But this park has the visitation of a national park. This park sees over 5.5 million visitors every single year! And that’s a lot of wear and tear on the trails, on the facilities.”
From there, the idea of the visitor center was born.
“That is where the whole idea of the visitor center and foundation really started from, was ‘We can create a business that is going to supply a continuous stream of revenue to the park in perpetuity,’” Haywood explained. “Every cup of coffee, every t-shirt, every tour, every program that someone purchase — that money goes right back to the foundation and right back to the Garden of the Gods Park.”
Below: A tour of the visitor center’s wildlife exhibit!
While the visitor center is an important revenue generator for the park, it still offers plenty of free exhibits inside for guests!
The money speaks for itself: in 30 years, the visitor center has generated $7.5 million and counting –all funding for the preservation and maintenance of Garden of the Gods, and enabling the city to keep its promise to the founder of keeping it free.
“Thirty years is a tremendous thing,” Haywood said. “We’re just very proud of being able to help preserve this iconic national natural landmark.”
If the visitor center had never been built, if that $7.5 million had never happened, where would the park be now? I asked.
“I don’t even want to think about it!” Haywood said.
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