Landscape Architect Articles

2008 June LSMP Around the Grounds: Colo. Public Works Teaches Kids12-29-08 | News

Colo. Public Works Teaches Kids

Compiled by Kevin Burrows, assistant editor

Eleven-year-old Kalub Jorgenson gets sprayed by Austin Venrick, 6, in May during Loveland, Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s Public Works Day event at Centennial Park.

Loveland, Colorado?EUR??,,????'???s Centennial Park in May looked like a construction zone overrun by soaked, blue-tongued, laughing children.

The town?EUR??,,????'???s Public Works Department put on a day of education and fun for the town?EUR??,,????'???s children by bringing in landscaping equipment, construction machinery, model airplanes, balloons, a helicopter, dunk tank, cotton candy, games and 2,000 people to the park.

Sprays of water proved the most popular attractions for the youngsters, mostly brought in from local schools. Delighted children screamed under the shower of the ?EUR??,,????'??Water Wheel of Misfortune.?EUR??,,????'?? The more water, the better, it seemed. The activity simulated the amount of rain that falls during different levels of storms.

Loveland, Colo., famous for the Loveland Pass, holds a day of fun and learning annually during National Public Works Week, to educate area children about what goes into maintaining the municipality.

They also lined up to fire balls at a target on the dunk tank, where perhaps-foolish city employees took their turns splashing into the water.

Too busy kicking water at bystanders, facilities manager Ken Cooper didn?EUR??,,????'???t see Annabelle Amschwand, 8, take aim and hit the target square-on, sending him crashing into the water.

Ostensibly an educational experience, Loveland?EUR??,,????'???s Public Works Day is held every year during National Public Works Week.

The largest such event in the Rocky Mountain region, it provided the opportunity during the last week of the school year for some much-needed running around in the grass time, while also educating the kids.

The children learned about the town?EUR??,,????'???s Public Works Department, construction equipment, recycling, as well as where the town?EUR??,,????'???s water comes from.

Next year, organizers hope to offer a few hours in the afternoon specifically for high school students, said Keith Reester, Loveland Public Works director.

?EUR??,,????'??Get some hands-on for the older kids,?EUR??,,????'?? he said. Reester said the older students could operate some of the heavy machinery, in the hopes that some might pursue careers in public works.

Source: The Reporter-Herald.