It takes collaboration and resilience to make new, big ideas come become a reality, especially in a small-town community. The Backyard Project, which is the 8-10 acres of land behind the Bisbee Science Lab and Copper Queen Library Annex at 519 W Melody Lane in the San Jose neighborhood, has recently reorganized and relaunched their efforts to finish the planning and design phase of a science exploration outdoor interactive “playground.” What started as an interactive pop-up science center on Main Street in 2017 evolved into the design phase of Bisbee Science Exploration and Research Center (BSERC)’s permanent science center, and the data collected from interviews and surveys planted the seed in doing something with the unused land/playground at the former decommissioned school. “It was an underutilized space with incredible potential,” said Thora Colot, director of the project.
The nonprofit umbrella organization, BSERC, that now runs the Bisbee Science Lab and the Backyard Project, started when co-founders Melanie Greene and Etta Kralovac partnered with the City of Bisbee, Freeport-McMoRan, M. Greene Planning & Resource Development, Rural Activation and Innovation Network (RAIN) and the University of Arizona South’s Education Department. Greene and Kralovac then decided to launch an advisory panel with the goal of improving the economic and educational conditions of Bisbee and the borderlands. All the partners agreed a feasibility study would be beneficial to determine if the town could support a multi-faceted, non-profit, science exploration and research center that promotes tourism, provides experiential science learning activities for students, facilitates the professional development of teachers and supports ongoing STEM research.
As BSERC was in its infancy stage, Colot, who works for an exhibit design firm, came onboard to conduct a feasibility study. She was conducting a feasibility study for the Copper Queen Mine Tour at that time, and the mining company told her two women were spearheading an effort to open a science museum in Bisbee. Colot jumped at the opportunity to spend more time in town and to find a way to connect the science museum to mining, engineering and STEM resources. “I got to meet great people in Bisbee when I was doing the feasibility study for the mining company,” said Colot, “and I fell in love with the people and the town.” So, it was a no-brainer for the east coast native to extend her time in the small mountain community.
Similarly to how the temporary science lab on Main Street collected data from visitors to discover which exhibits were the most useful and to shape the development of what would become the Bisbee Science Lab and the Backyard Project, BSERC asked the San Jose neighborhood for feedback on what they’d like to see happen to the former playground space. The five components they want to see are health/exercise, education focused on STEAM (to include the arts), a safe place for engagement, environmental concerns (including water) and alternative energy systems. “It will serve as a way to engage young people and promote more creative thinking,” said Thora. “We also see it as a place where scientists could come for experiments or for the collection of data.” Additionally, as the only major neighborhood in Bisbee without a park, the project will give San Jose, an area of economic hardship and diversity, an outdoor space they’ve never had.
To take the next step in implementing the ideas/feedback, Colot is hosting an invite-only educational and interactive event at the Backyard Project on October 24. Based on the community’s feedback, the topics people are most concerned about and interested in are sustainable agriculture, renewable energy (including wind), mining and geology, climate change and water. Preliminary work has been completed to define the “regenerative learning ecosystem” within the space that will include water catchment areas, exercise trails, a pollinator garden and a baseball field, to name some of the offerings. “We’ve already set the design phase of the five science stations into motion, but we want to ensure we’re heading in the right direction,” said Colot. “This event will be different than the other larger community events previously held, as this one will be more focused with fewer participants.” The focus of this event and its feedback is centered around the design of the water station.
Community participation is the key to ensure the Backyard Project’s two main goals are met: to engage and educate the public, and to provide an activity and learning space for teachers and students. There will be presentations and a brainstorming session on how to best use demonstration models, exhibit materials, science experiments and educational activities within the space. “Our goal is to design an outdoor pod/unit/station that will house all these programmatic goals and stand up to weather and public use,” said Colot. “At our gathering, we will have subject specialists and scientists, as well as teachers, exhibit designers, and the landscape architect and pod/unit/station designer.” The organization will be hosting a big community event for the public in the coming months where they will be displaying an assembled prototype. Stay tuned.