Watershed Center in midst of $3M capital campaign

Loring Bullard, the Watershed Committee’s executive director, said the two-year campaign is about a quarter complete, and the group still plans to break ground on the main center before the end of 2007 in order to be open in 2008.

“Given the nature of capital campaigns – and the fact that there are a lot of worthy causes – some proceed faster than others,” Bullard said, adding that the group is designing the main facility to be built in phases, if necessary. “We need to be prepared for that, but at the same time we’re very optimistic.”

Carson-Mitchell Inc. is the general contractor for the facility, and Butler, Rosenbury & Partners and BNIM of Kansas City are the architects.

Additional planned developments on the site include a one-mile natural ground trail and four outdoor learning centers.

“It (will be) unlike any place I know of in the Midwest,” Bullard said.

The center will tie in with the other facilities the parks department has planned for the 53-acre metropolitan park site, which it controls after securing a lease agreement with City Utilities.

Springfield-Greene County Parks Department Director Jodie Adams said the department will be building a new maintenance facility and offices for the outdoor initiatives division, as well as the Valley Water Mill Equestrian Center.

“This doesn’t work if you don’t have the support of the people,” Adams told the crowd at the Lakeside Learning Station’s Dec. 20 dedication. “What’s exciting about it is this is the result of the 2001 (parks improvement) sales tax. It was very clearly stated that we would develop a park out here, and through the 2006 tax (renewal) we’ll continue that development.”