The Clackamas print., May 13, 2015, Page 3, Image 3

MAY 13,2015 • CLACKAMAS PRINT
3
Environmental center granted makeover
Fundraising begins as college
seeks to connect nature,
community
by Cassidy Scott
Since Clackamas Community College
took over th e Environmental Learning
Center in 1996, there have been many
pushes to figure out a way to utilize it
on campus. W ith a grant approved by
Metro in 2014, the college Is beginning
to tackle the preliminary steps to revamp
the space.
The project, w hose concept design
was approved by Metro back in 2012,
had to be approved by the CCC Foun­
dation before making an official grant
application to Metro. This was taken up
by CCC Foundation Executive Director
Greg Fitzgerald, w ho lobbied the Foun­
dation to approve funding.
“The next step after [the concept ap­
proval] was me taking it to the Founda­
tion board to say, look, you guys have
said we are going to have this $10 million
fundraising campaign, $7.5 m illion fo r
scholarships and instructional support
and $2.5 million for some kind o f a cap­
stone project for the 50,” said Fitzgerald.
So it was decided th a t the CCC Foun­
dation w ould raise money fo r the ELC
as it will act as a celebratory project for
CCC’s 5 0 th birthday. This idea was ap­
proved by CCC President Joanne Trues-
dell as well, who, according to Fitzgerald,
“d id n ’t w ant like a clock tower, or you
know a statue o f somebody, she really
wanted something th a t made a differ­
ence fo r the whole community.”
For Fitzgerald, w hat made the project
so easy to lobby for were the possibilities
it held fo r b oth th e environm ent and
education.
“This just intrigued me because of the
potential [in the ELC]. There have been
com m unity group meetings to try and
figure out w hat can be done w ith this,
Instructor Bruce Nelson, right, and a student tag trees in the forest next to the Environmental Learning Center.
how it can be used," Fitzgerald said. “The
Foundation board really wanted to know
th a t the college would really com m it to
using this if they w e n t out and raised
the rest o f the money, and it’s been a
fantastic response.”
Next, the CCC Foundation applied for
w h a t is called a Nature and Neighbor­
hoods Grant. The application, dated Jan.
23,2014 and signed by Truesdell, states
the purpose of the project: “ Long term
objectives [are to] enhance water quality,
educational resource, passive recreation
for south Portland metro area communi­
ties, protecting health and sustainability
of Newell Creek Watershed."
But this process will not be cheap or
easy.
“Clackamas C om m unity College is
requesting $868,342 in funding, to be
matched by cash and in kind donations
of $2,186,623,” states the Metro appli­
cation from the CCC Foundation. “The
Clackamas C om m unity College Foun­
dation will conduct the fundraising ac­
tivities to meet the match requirement.”
The ELC, w hich was designed after
the highly successful Gresham Slough,
w ill help the environment as CCC cleans
and helps Newel, Creek drain w a te r
better, meaning th a t w ith the health of
Newell Creek will come few er floods on
and around campus. The goal will be to
create a better habitat for native plants
and animals as well as contribute to the
health of the overall watershed. This wil,
include the taking out of many nonnative
and invasive species as well as planting
new ones. Heading up this campaign wil,
be the horticulture departm ent.
“ For th e h o rtic u ltu re d e p a rtm e n t,
w e’ve been involved in this process for
years,” said Renee Harber, head of the
horticulture department. “This is like the
th ird or fo u rth reiteration o f trying to
renovate the ELC."
“There are also a lot of not native and
w h a t w e w ould call invasive plants in
th e ELC currently. So, in order fo r the
architects to design where a particular
thing m ight go ... in order for them to
figure out exactly where those things wil,
be sited, they w ould like to know w hat
trees are there," Harber added. “So, the
horticulture [students] just got started
on inventorying the trees."
It is w ith these types o f prelim inary
projects th a t th e ELC is incorporating
students in th e process. D epartm ents
from horticulture and education are fig­
uring out ways to incorporate learning
with the beneficial environmental impact
the ELC will have.
However ultimately the goal will be to
create a healthy space.
“I’m picturing just a much more open,
user-friendly site over there th a t’s more
welcom ing to the community," Harber
said.
After the ELC’s long and storied past,
CCC’s official groundbreaking of the proj­
ect in May 2016 wil, be the beginning
o f the end to finally restoring and giving
health back to th e Newell Creek W a­
tershed.
“It’s on its way. I just have to find more
money,” Fitzgerald said. “Another million
dollars.”
The project is projected to be com­
pleted in 2017.