We went to visit the CSU Spur complex at the National Western Center on a quiet, non-Stock Show…read moreafternoon. I, of course, had read about the construction of these facilities, but the reality blew me away. We mostly wandered around awestruck at the scope and quality of what CSU has created for their branch in Denver.
There are three buildings, each with a different focus. Hydro deals with water, Terra with food, and Vida with animal health, including the Temple Grandin Equine Center and a partnership with Humane Colorado.
These are research/education centers with a strong connection to the public via labs, workshops, and interactive exhibits. CSU experts in agriculture, water quality, and veterinary science provide K-12 programs, summer camps, and higher education as a hub for innovation and community engagement.
Major components of Hydro include the Denver Water Quality Laboratory, the CSU offices, multiple conference rooms and classrooms, multiple exhibits about water, the Confluence Theater, the Hydro Teaching Lab, the Sensory Room, a nicely landscaped outdoor patio, and the Little Finch coffee shop/café.
Terra offers a teaching kitchen; labs for sensory testing, dairy, produce, and meat; the community food/sensory garden; conference rooms; the Controlled Environment Horticulture Lab; multiple exhibits; classrooms; the Learning Lab; labs for microbiology, molecular biology, water, instruments, and soil/plants; and the hydroponic greenhouse.
The key features of Vida are the Humane Colorado Veterinary Hospital, the Temple Grandin Equine Center, and the Equine Sports Medicine Rehabilitation and Conditioning Center. Other highlights are extensive art exhibits, the virtual reality anatomy classroom, the observation areas for the on-view surgical suite and spay/neuter clinic; and observation of the horse arena and the Sports Medicine rehabilitation facilities plus numerous exhibits throughout the building explaining all of these functions.
Thank goodness for the coffee shop as we were overwhelmed just by the experience of walking through the buildings and needed a break to regroup. These facilities are amazing and many functions are available to the public for help, inquiry, and learning.