Background:

The Cache la Poudre River in Weld County between the South Platte River and the Weld County line offers a wealth of outstanding opportunities for learning various aspects of the environment including geology, river dynamics, natural systems, the wild west days of early colonization, and the life styles of the Native Americans. As a learning environment the Poudre is an outstanding resource.

A central feature of the Poudre River Master Plan is the Poudre Learning Center. The planned location for this center is just south of the Poudre River at 83rd Avenue. This location would offer easy access from Highway 34 to the south and State Highway 257 from the west. Students from Windsor, Greeley, Eaton, Johnstown, Kersey, LaSalle and other areas could reach the Center with just a short bus ride. This point along the Poudre also offers many of the best learning opportunities within a mile up or downstream of the Center.

The Center would anchor the trail and provide a central focal point for the rest of the interpretive stops along the trail. The Center would also conceptually bind the entire length of the trail into a single entity, and would offer and excellent chance to provide an interdisciplinary approach to education on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River. It would further serve as a keystone to the future development of the Poudre River Trail and help in fund raising efforts. The Cent could serve as the focal point for the interdisciplinary study of the history, science, and aesthetics of this region and its wetlands.

Site History:

A trip up the valley from Greeley reveals numerous channels incised by the Poudre River into the surrounding high plains topography. For many years the Poudre meandered back and forth across this feature-less prairie. But that would soon change by settlers of the Union Colony. The farmers from the East realized they could increase farmable acres if they could just straighten the river. One such channelized section was the Poudre learning Center site west of 83rd Avenue. According to area farmers, this area was trenched by teams of horses and plows. this operation lead to many years of successful farming at the site.

In 1986, the Poudre Learning Center Site was purchased by Hall- Irwin Construction Company. Gravel mining operations began the same year. Gravel was extracted for roadways, concrete foundations, trails and road beds in the region. Once quarried, the gravel pits were surrounded by twenty-five foot deep bentonite slurry walls. The pits are then filled with snowmelt water in the early spring months. The water is then released into the Poudre River for groundwater augmentation of member wells of the Central Colorado Water Conservancy District. With sensitive reclamation practices, there are excellent opportunities for creating additional riparian and vegetation areas that will result in increased wildlife habitat.

Brett Hall, President of Hall-Irwin Construction, has demonstrated a workable approach for private industry and landowners to help the educational community. He understands the important role that real stimulating, discovery experiences play in a student's understanding of ecological resources. Brett forged into action and opened his land for children and adults to learn about the Poudre River riparian ecology. Brett has successful collaborations with the educational community has helped local Girl Scout Troops learn and explore the Poudre River, encouraged bird research by Colorado State University students, and collection of stream data by Windsor Middle School students in the Colorado Division of Wildlife River Watch Program. With this proven commitment to education, Brett Hall and Hall-Irwin Construction have decided to move to the next level by donating 80 acres of this prime Poudre River riparian land to the local educational community.