Breaking ground on environmentally friendly WDC

Saturday was a big day, for human and dinosaur alike, at the Red Rock Business Park south of town for the official groundbreaking at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center's new planned location. Following the ceremony, Thermopolis Middle School was the site for a casual luncheon followed by a workshop led by project architects to seek community input.

Center Executive Director Angie Guyon said the project is still six months out from developing a plan and determining what kind of contractors, subcontractors and consultants will be needed, and it will be another year before any hiring is done.

As the center will be a Leadership in Energy an Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum building, meaning it is more energy-efficient, the process can take some time, and contractors and others hired should be familiar with LEED specifications.

Guyon and Paleontologist Jack Turnbull said during Saturday's workshop there were some common concerns. Those at the top included where financing would come from, the building not being finished and a possible lack of support from the community.

Turnbull said many people expressed they didn't want a building with a "shock" value, and would rather see something which reflects and incorporates the surrounding landscape. He noted the architectural representatives are very unpretentious and down-to-earth, and one of the preliminary pictures showed a center which mimics the look of the canyon. Materials used also evoke a feeling of the outdoors.

Another factor taken into consideration is ensuring there is no negative ripple effect on the community. Turnbull said the new center is not being developed as it's own entity to be in competition with the rest of the town, but rather one that can help other businesses. He further added they are not building it simply to get some commercial money, and there are no plans to turn it into an over commercialized center.

Depending on what funding can be secured, through donation and grants, Turnbull said the new center might not be built all at once, but instead be done in phases. The staff of the center are committed to it, and he hopes to see a strong "grass roots" response to help the project be realized. He also added they hope to meet the highest level of standard when it comes to having a LEED building, as that will provide access to more funding.

Another concern raised is whether the building will impact the hot springs. Turnbull said the aquifer runs deep and the recharge area is at Owl Creek and the Bridger Mountains. However, if any study shows the building plans will impact the springs, they will be deemed unsatisfactory and a different plan will be sought.

This was the first meeting for public input on this undertaking by the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. Future informational meetings are planned, to provide plenty of opportunities to be informed and provide input as the project moves forward.