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Contact: Andy Fisher, 5207138610
Grand Opening of Educational Patio at Saguaro National Park EastTucson, AZ – In 2015, with the help of $180,000 in support from Friends of Saguaro National Park, Saguaro National Park replaced the 55-year old interpretive exhibits in the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center with new, bilingual exhibits to help visitors understand the story of Saguaro National Park and appreciate the connection between people and place. Unlike the (newer) Red Hills Visitor Center in the Tucson Mountain District, the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center has no outdoor interpretive space- where rangers can provide interpretive talks to visitors and school groups.
In 2017, with the help of $65,000 in support from Friends of Saguaro National Park, Saguaro National Park began designing the 2,500 square foot, year-round, fully accessible, outdoor program space next the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center. The space will include a hardened surface, accessible benches, a shade structure and an educational donor mural created by local artist Gail T. Roberts.
The outdoor space will be used for daily interpretive programs, special events, demonstrations and educational programs. The “outdoor classroom” will also provide the park’s 1 million annual visitors with spectacular views of the Rincon Mountains that are not visible from any other location within the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center building.
The Grand Opening ceremony is scheduled for 10:00 AM on Monday, October 14th at Saguaro National Park’s Rincon Mountain Visitor Center (3693 S Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730). The ceremony will include the debut performance of “Among the Saguaros” composed by Katy Webster and performed by the Southwest String Quartet.
“This project would not have been possible without the support from our donors, notably; TEP, Diamond Ventures, Southwest Gas, Richard Schoen, Virginia Van Der Veer, The Spears Family, Friends of Volunteer Al Solomon and Western National Parks Association (WNPA)” said Fred Stula, Executive Director of Friends of Saguaro National Park.
About Friends of Saguaro National Park
Friends of Saguaro is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising partner of the National Park Service, created to help preserve, protect and enhance the fragile environment and unique cultural heritage of the Sonoran Desert at Saguaro National Park. We help protect natural and cultural resources, preserve native landscapes, promote environmental education, improve recreational trails, enhance visitor experiences, strengthen community partnerships, and build environmental stewardship for Saguaro National Park through philanthropy, education, volunteerism, and public awareness. FOSNP was founded in 1996 and has raised over $6 million to support Saguaro National Park. You can find out more about us at http://www.friendsofsaguaro.org
Last updated: October 5, 2019