Window 5-23-13
May 23, 2013
50 cents
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourwestminsternews.com
Adams County and Jefferson County, Colorado • Volume 68, Issue 31
Funds plant seeds
Community college awarded grant for greenhouse By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews.com
Legacy High School graduates from left, Ryan Carter, Sean Sandquist, Tyler Thurman, Patrick Medina, Tyler Gibson, Cody Cox posed for a group photo outside the CU Events Center on Tuesday, May 14. Photos by Pam Wagner
Hats off 2013
Legacy High School graduate Jetse Mani gets hugs and kisses from younger sisters Ashanti Rodriguez, left and Belly Castruitoa, right, outside the CU Events Center on Tuesday, May 14.
New family fun center keeps kids active By Ashley Reimers
areimers@ourcoloradonews. com At Jump City in Westminster everyone will get their fair share of exercise. Whether it’s literally bouncing of the walls, or flying into a foam pit, Jump City allows for a calorie-burning good time. The business, located at 9979 Wadsworth Parkway opened April 5. It is a family center with 8,000 square feet of trampolines, a dodge ball area, laser tag, bouncing castle and foam pit. General manager Jay Lee said he and his two partners
Jump City in Westminster is a new family fun center provided 8,000 square-feet of trampolines, as well as a dodge ball area, bounce house and laser tag. Courtesy photo chose to open a center like this in Westminster because of the location. “We looked at many places, but chose this because it was
next to McDonald’s and King Soopers,” he said. “And we can get business from the Boulder area.” Diving into a family fun center was something Lee
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wanted to do before he says he got too old. He worked in retail for many years before his new endeavor and now he gets to enjoy watching people have fun. He also appreciates the fact that kids are being active. “I jump around once and a while,” Lee said. “I think it’s good for kids to bounce around and burn calories and have fun instead of sitting at home and playing video games and computers.” Jump city is available for parties and large gatherings. Lee said just a few weeks ago he had a group of 250 people. “I like to see people come here and enjoy with their family,” he said. “These days spending time with family is important, but there are not many times to do that. So this is a good place to come with the family.” Daily hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursdays and Sundays, and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturdays. Cost is $12 per hour for ages eight and above and $6 per hour for ages seven and below. For more information visit www.ilovejumpcity.com
With the help of a $150,000 grant from the Colorado Garden Show, Front Range Community College in Westminster took a big step toward building a state-of-the art greenhouse teaching facility on its campus. The grant is the Andrew Pierce Memorial Grant. “Andrew was a longtime Colorado Garden Show board member and active participant in the grants selection process. Andrew loved plants and appreciated a well-designed landscaped garden,” said Jim Fricke, CGS executive director. “He would be thrilled to know that the 2013 Andrew Pierce Memorial Grant was awarded to FRCC to build a greenhouse teaching facility.” The grant was awarded to the school on April 29 as the largest awarded to one organization from the Colorado Garden Show. “One of our missions is to extend our passion for and knowledge of horticulture into future generations and this greenhouse provides the students of Front Range Community College with hands-on learning,” Fricke said. “They will get practical experiences on their school’s campus and learn about soil preparation, plant and flower growth in Colorado’s dry climate, temperature control and much more.” The grant is being given in two $75,000 installments. The first portion was awarded this year and the second portion will be awarded next year. To date, the CGS has awarded more than $5.5 million in grant money for horticulture projects and scholarships in Colorado. Front Range president Andy Dorsey is also thrilled about the greenhouse. He said the facility will make a tremendous difference in student learning in almost every horticulture class. With most horticulture students taking classes in the fall, winter and springs months due to summer horticulture jobs, Dorsey said having the ability to work with live plants in the greenhouse will be a real benefit to the curriculum. “Horticulture is a growing industry and the goal of the greenhouse is to simulate what students will see when they leave college and go to work,” he said. “We want our students job-ready and to make a positive difference for their future employer.” The total cost of the greenhouse is estimated at $600,000. Dorsey said additional fundraising is needed to make the greenhouse a reality. By this fall he hopes to have the design of the greenhouse in place. Its location has not been determined, but Dorsey said because of sun exposure, more than likely it will be closer to south side of the main building on the Westminster campus.