Nothing says spring like the smell of fresh flowers blooming in the radiant Colorado sunshine. And, just like any season, this time of year is just a little sweeter in Northern Colorado. Against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, spring is never more vibrant than at The Gardens.

This season take a moment to experience The Gardens throughout Centerra. With five impressive locations in the community, this collection of native plants features some of the best horticulture in the state. Whether you’re just visiting, or you call the area home, come enjoy the beauty of The Gardens.

The New Gardens

Horticulture has always been a cornerstone of Centerra and Jim Tolstrup, executive director of High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC), is taking that to the next level with this new garden endeavor.

In 2019, Tolstrup started working on the concept which calls for a series of garden plots throughout the Centerra community.

This new idea is based loosely on similar gardens he studied at Harvard University called Boston’s Emerald Necklace, which is a series of parks in the Boston area that includes the Franklin Park Zoo and various community greenbelts.

The idea for The Gardens is similar but on a smaller scale. When complete, it will span from the west side of Centerra to the east side of Interstate – 25 (I-25). Some of the gardens, such as those at HPEC and Chapungu Sculpture Park, allow people to walk through while others can be viewed while driving.

The locations of The Gardens include:

Like any garden, the project is a work in progress but The Gardens have already drawn attention and high praise. “The Gardens at Centerra are unique in so many ways: incorporating what is essentially a botanical garden and native plant nursery as an integral part of a housing and business development represents a profoundly sensitive statement,” Panayoti Kelaidis, director of outreach at Denver Botanic Gardens, says.

High Plains Environmental Center

HPEC has played an integral role in the Centerra community since 2001. The idea for the center was originally conceived by Tom Hoyt, president of McStain Neighborhoods and builder of High Plains Village at Centerra. His long-held belief that conservation and development go hand-in-hand was one of the driving forces behind the creation of HPEC. The center officially registered as a non-profit on March 21, 2001.

Today, Tolstrup oversees the operation with his green thumb and a spark of creativity. Tolstrup joined the team in 2007, bringing his love for nature to Northern Colorado. Tolstrup oversees everything from HPEC’s land management program to maintaining native plant gardens to day-to-day administrative tasks.

Tolstrup has always had a love for the outdoors, plants, birds, and wildlife, making his position at HPEC the perfect fit. Tolstrup played a huge role in getting Centerra designated as Colorado’s first Certified Community Wildlife Habitat in 2018.

“For many years horticultural and restored environmental features, of exceptional quality and scope, have been evolving at Centerra,” Tolstrup says. “We know of no other collaboration in the world, between a visionary developer and a non-profit 501c3, that approaches the scale and scope of Centerra, and provides such a rich and varied experience for visitors, all with no charge for admission.”

HPEC’s influence goes beyond simply attracting people. The flowers and installations are extremely impactful and helpful to the bees and insects, creating a pollinator-friendly environment and ecosystem, in turn making life better for all.

Volunteers and the HPEC

The HPEC relies heavily on volunteers in order to accomplish its mission. It has volunteer opportunities throughout the year for individuals to get involved with its mission.

“Everything is built by volunteers, aside from structures. It’s entirely built through community engagement,” Tolstrup says.

The Gardens provide a respite for those looking for a little escape. A place to slow down, enjoy some solitude and soak in the variety of flowers and installations Tolstrup and his team have worked so hard to bring to life.

Tolstrup’s focus on The Gardens continues to transform Centerra’s natural parks and amenity spaces into a “must-see” destination, but he can’t do it without help.

If you’re interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please check out the HPEC events calendar on their website to find upcoming ways to dig in and help out. And make sure to follow HPEC on social media to learn more about volunteer opportunities, upcoming events and its conservation efforts on Facebook and Instagram.

There’s something about a freshly brewed cup of coffee that is simply irresistible. Perhaps it’s the fragrant, deep, earthy aroma that draws the drinker in, or the creative design layered into the milky white froth of a latte. For some, it’s just the amazing taste of freshly roasted coffee beans, ground to perfection and steeped for just the right amount of time to create that classic cup of coffee. 

Whatever it is, Centerra has a variety of coffee shops but Conundrum Coffee, located at 3706 Aldrin Dr. in Loveland, is the latest hot spot and has it in spades. After all, the whole reason Conundrum Coffee exists is because of one thing: a passion for craft-roasted coffee. The family-owned roastery began in Fort Collins in 2012 before opening its new tasting room in Loveland.  

Conundrum Coffee’s roots are actually found in specialty coffee research, as the development arm of Toddy, LLC. Toddy started in 1964 with the Toddy Cold Brew System. Since then, Toddy has been leading the way in the cold brew coffee segment in the U.S. and internationally. Today, the Loveland-based company supplies home users and cafes around the world with brewing solutions for cold–brewed coffee and tea.  

Toddy President Julia Leach said she’s thrilled to share high-quality coffee with others who want more than just caffeine from a cup of coffee. “Conundrum was founded to make specialty coffee more inclusive, and the tasting room is the perfect venue for sharing our love for and appreciation of quality coffee,” Leach said. “It’s also a chance to better connect our global company with the Northern Colorado community.” 

The Conundrum Coffee Tasting Room by Toddy opened its doors to the public in late 2019, introducing a specialty coffee experience to the bustling Centerra area. 

Nestled in an office and industrial area within Centerra, the tasting room’s facade may be deceiving at first, as it’s not where one might think to go for an exceptional cup of coffee. However, it is truly a hidden gem. Conundrum Coffee emphasizes the relationship between the seed and the cup. For those unaware, coffee beans are actually seeds. Such nuances are something that is lost in today’s fast-paced world of drive-thru coffee shops and caffeine bombs that incorporate energy drink shots. 

Conundrum Coffee is about respecting the time-honored art of making a perfectly balanced mug of coffee. This includes the time that it takes to get coffee from places such as Ethiopia, Guatemala and Mexico. With a variety of beans from around the globe that all bring their own unique flavor to the cup, Conundrum Coffee enjoys unlocking that goodness from each bean. 

Once the flavor is unleashed, Conundrum Coffee can be brewed and enjoyed in a variety of ways. From the classic espresso to its signature Toddy Cold Brew System, brewing for this team is something of a science.  

Take the Hario V60 brewing method, which may sound more like a car model than a coffee. The pour–over, which originated in Germany in 1908 by Melitta Bentz, achieves a full–bodied taste and includes seven steps to make. This precision process is a far cry from the flip–a–switch coffee maker method or pop–a–pod and go.  

While the entire process, from bean to cup, is quite involved, Conundrum would have it no other way. The taste it produces is well worth the time and energy that goes into each mug. That is part of the appeal of the new tasting room, visitors can observe the roastery in action and even sample single-origin and blended coffees in the new, bright contemporary space. 

Unlike mass–market coffee shops, the tasting room intentionally prioritizes the quality of coffee over quantity of menu offerings. Coffee enthusiasts will find craft-roasted artisan coffees from around the world, but they won’t find their favorite dessert drinks or a stable of flavored creamers.  

What you will find in the Conundrum Tasting Room is a stellar menu that includes espresso and other heat-brewed coffee beverages, as well as a tap wall serving premium cold brew options such as nitro coffee and artisanal teas. Guests can also come in to hone their tasting skills with a cold brew flight or grab Conundrum-branded cold brew crowlers (think “canned on–demand” coffee) to go! 

Visitors can even buy whole bean gift packs or specialty blends such as “Don’t Panic! Blend,” “Dark Natty” or “Ethiopia Yirgacheffe” to take home and brew for themselves. Perhaps for the Conundrum Coffee newbie, or someone looking for the ideal gift, the best option is the Conundrum Sample Gift Pack. The package, which sells for $21, includes a selection of four different whole-bean coffees, four-ounces each, in an artisan gift bag.  

For the real hardcore coffee drinker who can’t be without Conundrum Coffee in their cup, there is the Conundrum Coffee Club. This sweet club provides members with a steady stream of coffee beans whenever they want them. Just sign up and let Conundrum know how frequently you need your coffee shipped and they will take care of the rest.  

The art of bringing quality coffee to the community is something that Leach and her team are excited to continue. Get your Conundrum Coffee fix at 3706 Aldrin Drive, northwest of the Interstate 25 and Highway 34 interchange. The Conundrum Coffee Tasting Room by Toddy is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. For more information check out conundrumcoffee.com.  

   

Veteran’s Day is just around the corner (Monday, November 11, to be exact) and we could not think of a better time to learn more about Centerra’s community resources for veterans, be reminded what Veteran’s Day is really about and participate in opportunities to honor local veterans this year.  

Did you know Loveland’s Veterans Affairs (VA) Clinic opened its doors in 2017 and has been serving Northern Colorado’s veterans ever since? Read on to learn about the resources this clinic provides and how you can get involved, too!  

The Veterans Affairs program launched during the 1930’s and guided its programs on a mission statement by Abraham Lincoln, “to care for him who shall have born the battle and for his widow and orphan.” Thus began the work of the VA to serve veterans after World War One. The program works in three different agencies: healthcare, disability benefits and cemeteries. In the 80’s VA clinics launched just after the Vietnam War to help support the healthcare component of the VA. These clinics work to provide veterans with primary health-care services but originally launched to help Vietnam veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Today, local VA clinics typically focus solely on primary care and act as a resource for basic healthcare for local veterans.  

In 2017 the Greeley Veterans Clinic was looking to relocate to a place that offered greater opportunity to serve a larger audience of local veterans and Centerra was the perfect fit. “We were very fortunate to build that relationship with Centerra. It turned out to be a great partnership, one that we are really excited about,” Samuel House, VA Cheyenne Spokesperson, said. The VA estimates that approximately 22,000 veterans live in Larimer County, making Loveland an ideal location to serve the Northern Colorado veteran population. The Loveland VA Clinic felt especially lucky because they were able to work closely with the McWHINNEY development team to ensure this clinic would meet all of the local veteran needs. This particular VA clinic provides services far beyond basic primary care; they also provide mental health services, ophthalmology, audiology, lab services, X-ray and MRI capabilities, surgeries, pharmaceutical services and sterilization. The Loveland VA Clinic acts as a one-stop-shop for almost every type of care that veterans often need, and more. One of the many unique characteristics of the Loveland clinic is the idea that a veteran can go to one location and get a large amount of healthcare taken care of, which makes good health attainable and convenient for many local veterans.  

The center maintains between 50-75 providers and staff members, a large majority who work from home to help develop one of the center’s newest capabilities. The clinic is testing out a telemedicine program that allows providers to work remotely and connect with patients via FaceTime or video messaging tools. This service allows veterans the opportunity to talk to a provider, from home, and get the care that they need. This resource has been immensely helpful for the Loveland Clinic because it allows providers to reach veterans who live in rural communities and can’t necessarily access the Loveland location when they need to. That’s not the only new development for Loveland VA clinics, the location will soon be relocating and expanding into what many are calling a “super VA clinic”.  

 The “super VA clinic” is anticipated to be finished in the winter of 2022 and will aim to serve almost 200 veterans every day. This new facility is planned to double the space of the Loveland and Fort Collins clinics combined at 75,645 square feet. Although the Loveland clinic is slated to remain open, the Fort Collins clinic has plans to close in 2021. The VA believes this new center will alleviate wait times at their Cheyenne clinic and provide primary care to more veterans than ever before. The new clinic will add services including radiology and dental care which are not currently available at any of the Northern Colorado locations.  

 Veteran’s Day is all about having a celebration to thank veterans and appreciate their service to our country, with the holiday just around the corner we figured what better time to highlight local events that celebrate Loveland veterans. Each year, the Associated Veterans of Loveland puts on a Veteran’s Day Parade celebration honoring local community members that have served, passed or are currently serving our country. This year, the parade is taking place in Downtown Loveland at 10 a.m. at 3rd and Railroad. The parade will begin at 4th and Railroad and go west, turn right on Garfield St. and go north, turn Left on 13th St. and go west before it finally ends at Dwayne Webster Veterans Park. The Associated Veterans will also be hosting a bell ringing throughout the City of Loveland from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. following by breakfast at the Veterans Club from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. For more information on these events, please contact the Associated Veterans of Loveland at 970-667-4722.    

Centerra Self Storage

Self-Storage at Centerra is a family-owned and operated business located at 3702 Aldrin Drive, Loveland, run by Jordan Todd, and his wife, Stacey. One of the few non-corporate businesses located in Centerra, this self-storage center promises top-notch customer service and several storage options that are sure to meet each customer’s individual needs. The family-owned company prides itself on offering an extremely friendly environment that allows tenants to feel a sense of security and care throughout the entire storage process. Jordan and Stacey work tirelessly to ensure that everyone from employees to customers have a great experience. Read on to learn more about the Todd family and how Self-Storage at Centerra can make life easier for you.  

Jordan Todd fell in love with Fort Collins after visiting many times as a young child. Originally from London, Jordan has always loved good weather and beautiful sunshine which is not always present in the UK; cue the move to sunny Colorado in 2009. They truly embody the live, work and play mentality of Centerra – as residents at The Lakes at Centerra they especially enjoy the family-friendly events offered throughout the local community. Some of their favorites include Sounds of Centerra, Food Truck Roundups (yum), Loveland Classic 5K, and Promenade Kids Days. Because the Centerra and The Lakes developments are evolving, he appreciates the eagerness of neighbors to establish relationships throughout the community. In fact one of his favorite parts of owning a business located in Centerra is the opportunity to get to know residents and form relationships with community members within Loveland.  

Jordan was familiar with the area and had a hunch that Centerra, located in Loveland, would quickly grow from what it was in the early 2000s to where it is today. Due to the increase in development throughout the Centerra and general Loveland communities, his family felt that opening a Self-Storage center in Centerra would fulfill the demand for extra storage that many homeowners need.  The 54,000 square-foot facility officially opened its doors in August 2015 and has been thriving ever since. In fact, in 2017 they added a second phase which increased the total square footage by about 25,000 square feet. With a third phase coming soon, Self-Storage at Centerra is looking forward to expanding their presence and growing with the community for years to come.   

Contrary to typical stereotypes, self-storage units are not only a place to store excess junk, or things that you don’t regularly use in your home, the storage units at Self-Storage Centerra offer a wide variety of uses. The units are climate controlled, meaning some buildings are heated and cooled appropriately based on seasonality. They also offer drive-up garage style units that make the process of storing your items simple, plus, all units are main-floor access which makes loading and unloading your belongings a breeze. Whether you’re storing business equipment, personal watercrafts, furniture or vehicles, Self-Storage has right-sized options to assist you.  

Looking to clean up some clutter before the holidays? Renting a unit at Self-Storage Centerra could be a lifesaver. They offer month-to-month contracts, so tenants aren’t locked into lengthy contracts and guidelines. Move–in and move out dates fall at the beginning and end of each month allowing for short-term storage solutions, too! Units range from 5X5 closet–sized units to 10X35 large units (large enough to hold a 4+ bedroom home). Prices start at $54 per month, so storing your belongings doesn’t have to break the bank. Interested in renting a unit? Stop by the Self-Storage at Centerra site for a guided tour of the different types of units, to help better understand which unit will fit your needs.  

 For more information on renting a unit from Self-Storage at Centerra please call their office or visit their website. Or, follow them on Facebook to learn more about what they’re doing in the Centerra community.  

Centerra Flowers

As the chilly season approaches, we couldn’t help but reflect on what a beautiful summer and fall we had at Centerra. Days spent at the splash pad, shopping at The Marketplace and Promenade Shops or dancing at the Sounds of Centerra were certainly among some of our favorites. However, the stand-alone best feature of this summer season that caught the eye of commuters was the unique floral display created at the entrance of Rocky Mountain Avenue and Highway 34. We want to extend a special thank you to everyone who lent a hand or creative influence to create this beautiful colorful arrangement at the gateway to Loveland. Learn more about the design team that brought this landscaping floral design to life and don’t forget to peek at the beautiful photos below! 

Colorado State University Alumni Lance Oles and Eric Sabin played a huge role in designing and creating this beautiful floral focal point, with some help from CSU Professor Zach Johnson. Oles graduated from CSU in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design and Contracting while Sabin graduated the same year with a degree in Environmental Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Design and Contracting.  

These classmates set out to design a community floral display, like the one found in Centerra, while being guided by their Professor. Three CSU groups participated in the design process and had approximately four weeks from start to finish to plan, present, and revise their project plans. They worked closely with Professor Zach Johnson, a Landscape Design and Contracting Professor at CSU to create a unique design that would be featured within Centerra’s plant beds. When asked about what it was like to work on this project, Oles said, “We had a specific budget, as well as specific flower species that we could use that were being grown in a local greenhouse. We had to do the entire design (main entrance, round-a-bouts, pots, etc.) within a specified scope.” Their favorite part of the project was being able to come up with their own ideas and execute a thoughtful design installation from start to finish.  

According to Lance and Eric, their project inspiration came from the state of Colorado itself. They understood how much pride Colorado locals have and wanted to portray that same sense of community pride in the final design. First, they pulled the color palette which was inspired by natural Colorado elements and colors, then they found plant materials that matched their vision.  

The group’s design was selected and installed in Centerra in 2019, quickly garnering attention from the public as they passed through. One Loveland resident commented, “The floral depiction of the snow-capped mountains, sun, and rays of sunlight is beautiful! Kudos to your landscape designer and thank you for investing in the beauty of our community.” Check out some photos capturing the outstanding work completed by CSU.  

Online education has existed for decades, so when the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) was searching for an opportunity to serve adult learners and non-traditional students with classes that offer the same quality programs taught on campus, delivering courses in a flexible, affordable online format was the obvious choice. Hence, the creation of the UNC Extended Campuses. The UNC Loveland Center at Centerra primarily offers online programs taught by faculty from UNC’s main campus. 87% of the programs offered at the UNC Loveland Center are delivered online, but the center also offers a hybrid option which includes online classes with face-to-face courses taught at the Centerra location.

Centerra offered the perfect location for UNC’s Loveland Center because of its authentic community-based vibe that it offers to local residents and beyond. The UNC Loveland Center has a very comfortable, down-to-earth appeal, paired with picturesque views. Students especially love that it’s connected and centered around all the qualities that residents of Colorado love most about the state. Centerra has open spaces, views of mountains, and UNC is adjacent to a wonderful trail system which makes this the ideal place for UNC to operate a Loveland Center.

UNC Extended Campus currently serves over 3,200 adult learners and is a division of the main university located in Greeley, Colorado. UNC’s extended campuses are located in Loveland, Denver and Colorado Springs, but all share the same mission of serving adult learners. Adult learners are defined as adults between the ages of 25-54 who are looking for a non-traditional educational pathway to lead them to their lifelong educational goals, whether it be a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or a Ph.D. and beyond. The main goal that many adult learners have is to change their current career path, which is why the curriculum is fast-paced and can be completed in as few as five semesters but also is easy to manage in tandem with a full-time job.

The Loveland Center itself has approximately 17 team members, who help support the other three centers. Each center has a different niche target market, but all focus on serving adult learners.

The experience many students find at the Loveland Center is far from your typical college experience, in a good way! The distinguishing characteristics of this college education experience is the fact that students can graduate with a degree in much less time than a typical four-year (8 semester) college degree. In addition, the extended campuses offer a unique tuition structure; they offer flat tuition per credit which is the same for in-state and out of state students. Because the programs are offered online, the tuition costs do not include typical on-campus fees like room and board, meal plans, etc. helping to make the programs more affordable.

UNC Faculty and the Loveland Center staff appreciate the opportunity to bring higher education to everyone in the Centerra community. The UNC Loveland Center offers lifelong learning opportunities to people who would not otherwise be able to accomplish that.

With the 2019 school year just around the corner, the Loveland Center and UNC’s main campus are gearing up for another exciting year. The main campus in Greeley just got a new president and is preparing to welcome a slew of new students on their campus. The Loveland Center is looking forward to building relationships with the local businesses and organizations in the Centerra community. In the upcoming year, the center will also work to develop new executive programs. They hope the relationships they develop with the Centerra business community will contribute to the positive impact on student learning. These relationships would be focused on industries including health care, education, technology and environmental sciences to enhance students’ workplace related skills. The goal is that these programs will help adult learners achieve their career goals by enhancing skills they bring to the workplace in community businesses throughout Northern Colorado.

The Loveland Center offers more than education to adult-learners, it also acts as a space for local organizations and businesses to gather for retreats, meetings and conferences. In the past, many local Centerra businesses have hosted retreats there due to the plethora of amenities. The center offers beautiful views of the surrounding Centerra community, technology for organizations to use during meetings and access to the local wildlife and lakes. Their best offering is the opportunity for local organizations to meet off-site and grow as a team. If you’re interested in booking their classrooms for an upcoming event or conference please email the Loveland Center for more information.

Learn more about UNC’s Extended Campus opportunities here.

Want to get to know UNC Extended Campuses better? Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube or LinkedIn!

In 2003 when Becky Allsup’s husband was transferred to Colorado from Minnesota for work, Becky found herself searching for unique, high-quality hardwood furniture and decorative accessories, but struggling to find anything that inspired her. She discovered a need for an upscale design store, which Northern Colorado was lacking. “I decided that Northern Colorado needed a store that had great style, great accessories, and great hardwood furniture pieces that could not be commonly found in the area,” Becky said. When Niche Design House was born in 2008, Becky finally had the opportunity to offer customers unique décor pieces that she herself had been searching for at a great price. Read on to learn more about all that Niche offers, and the passion behind the business itself.

With over 20 years of experience in the interior design industry, Becky had the experience necessary to craft beautiful hardwood furniture that could be further customized to a customer’s liking or taken straight from the sales floor and into someone’s home. Her one-of-a-kind, carefully curated accessories bring life and style into spaces of any kind and her passion for design shines through each piece And so, Niche Design House was created as a Loveland interior design firm which offers full-service interior design services throughout Northern Colorado along with a retail store which sells exclusive furniture pieces and accessories.

The store officially opened at The Promenade Shops at Centerra in 2013 and has been thriving ever since. A recent move allowed them to expand their space at The Promenade Shops at Centerra. The Niche team currently has 22 people who specialize in creating unique residential and commercial spaces in Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Greeley and Estes Park. Each space is designed with distinction and the goal to make each project a unique space which highlights a customer’s personality. “The accessories and furniture found in our retail showrooms are normally bought in limited quantities” Allsup explains. This ensures that each piece is unique to the customer, rather than bought in large quantities from a bulk supplier. The showroom in Loveland offers exclusive furniture pieces which are sure to make your house feel like a home.

In addition to the unique pieces found at Niche Design House, they also offer several interior design services and workshops. These services include residential interior design, commercial interior design, and a shoppable furnishing showroom. Their residential interior design services include everything from furniture supply to fixture upgrades to full-building remodels. Your trusted team member promises a custom experience and a unique result that will speak to you (or your company’s) personality and style preferences. You can hire someone from the Niche team to assist with new building designs, kitchen and bathroom remodels, even basement finishing projects! If your company is looking for an office upgrade, Niche offers several commercial services as well. Whether you have a large corporate office or a small business space, the Niche team can create a commercial space that uniquely complements and portrays your company’s vision. If you aren’t in the market for a total interior design makeover, stop by Niche Design House. Their furniture and interior design showroom offer an array of pieces that will fit perfectly into any room of your home. Their most popular home accessories include wall art, sculptures, ornate rugs, sofas, chairs, tables and light fixtures! Stop by next time you’re at the Promenade Shops at Centerra.

One special offering found at Niche’s home base in Loveland are Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® Workshops, which are held monthly to teach customers how to best use the paint to better enhance the look and feel of your space. The store has been hand-picked as an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint® stockist which means they carry an expansive selection of Annie Sloan paint including Waxes, Cracklers, Decoupage, and more. The Chalk Paint® can be used for furniture and walls and is a great way to easily transform any piece in your home or office space to something new and custom.

Fall is the perfect time to add décor updates to your home including transitional pieces like table trays, warmer colors and seasonal throw pillows. Incorporating fall color palettes and small decorative pieces can really make your home feel festive. Whether you’re looking to completely transform your home or commercial office space, or just shopping for a décor piece to breathe new life into an existing design, Niche offers a one-of-a-kind experience and pieces that are sure to bring your home to life.

Stay up to date on all the latest design trends by following along with Niche Design House on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Lois Hart, experienced gardener, leadership consultant, author and resident ambassador for The Lakes at Centerra truly puts her heart into our Sweetheart City.

For as long as Lois can remember she’s always been an outdoor enthusiast. Her childhood was filled with the likes of Girl Scouts excursions, skiing, canoeing, but most importantly, gardening. At just six years old, Lois spent most of her time helping out in her parents’ World War II victory garden. In the years since Lois has honed her skills in flower arrangements, pressing and photographing flowers, irrigation and drip systems. For her, working and spending time in her gardens is a calming, meditative experience. Moving to The Lakes offered the perfect backdrop for creating another one of her masterpieces.

After spending nearly, a decade in Montana, Lois and her husband Arn moved back to Colorado in search of a beautiful place to call home; one that allowed the opportunity to explore and enjoy the outdoors, plus the space to develop several new gardens. Lois found more than she was looking for when she and Arn chose to make Loveland, Colorado their longtime home.

The Harts settled into The Lakes at Centerra seamlessly. Beyond the solid craftsmanship of the homes, they fell in love with everything the neighborhood had to offer. After living in over 18 homes, the community feeling of The Lakes is what initially drew Lois to living here. Despite having many new neighbors who relocated to Loveland from out of state, Lois describes the neighborhood as open and friendly. The community’s environmentally conscious developer, McWHINNEY, was just an added bonus. “As we got to discovering what McWHINNEY was all about, we were absolutely impressed,” Lois said. “Their commitment to maintaining open spaces throughout our neighborhood makes our backyard feel like an outdoor oasis.” Centerra’s 275 acres of preserved lakes, wetlands and trails connects residents to their natural habitat and provide environmental education and activities perfectly show how McWHINNEY is working to create environmentally sustainable communities.

The Harts were amazed to see all of the amenities that The Lakes has to offer. Whether it’s the picturesque views of Equalizer Lake, or the ability to enjoy events at The Lake Club, it’s been a great fit for their family. The couple cherishes their time spent enjoying the walking and biking trails, observing local wildlife through birdwatching and fishing, and volunteering at HPEC. One of Lois’ favorite memories of her partnership with HPEC was seeing the joy on the faces of the children from High Plains School when they crafted Halloween pumpkins together. Lois also enjoys time in The Lakes’ Community Garden, and the fact that half of its space is dedicated to raising food which is later donated to local food banks. The other half of the garden is available for resident use, something that Lois greatly appreciated using during the construction of her home at The Lakes.

Lois has become increasingly interested in environmental stewardship which aligns nicely with Centerra’s focus on being an environmentally sustainable community. She especially enjoys the positive collaboration seen between McWHINNEY, The Lakes, and High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC) throughout The Lakes’ grounds, gardens, and trail systems. And she isn’t the only one who enjoys the positive partnership! In fact, HPEC’s Executive Director, Jim Tolstrup, explains that this type of collaboration between a non-profit environmental center, a developer, and a neighborhood is a one-of-a-kind model. “When the plans for Centerra were brought to the Loveland planning department, the McWhinneys’ were adamant about having 20% open space at build-out,” Jim said, “Tom Hoyt, lifelong developer and conservationist always said, ‘you can’t have developments without talking about conservation at the same time.’ Which is exactly what McWHINNEY and Loveland did.”

Lois’ longtime passion for environment and conservation is what lead her to be one of the founding members of Centerra’s residential Certified Wildlife Habitats. In fact, since becoming certified in 2018 she has helped select native plants for several neighbor’s gardens that encourages habitats for wildlife throughout Centerra’s community. “HPEC set the stage to educate us about how to attract and create habitats for wildlife,” Lois says. “I attended the workshop on pollinators to attract bees and butterflies. We learned what we can do to increase the wildlife around our homes the open spaces. When they let us know we could sign up to help get certification from the National Wildlife Federation, I jumped on this opportunity to be part of this showcase. We are so proud that we not only got the certificate but that we are the first in the state of Colorado.”

To learn more about getting your yard certified, or volunteering with HPEC, visit their website.

When Sara Turner moved to Loveland in 2011, she was in search of a new job that would allow her to pursue her love of painting while also spending time with her young children. What began as a job at Studio Vino became a passion project when Sara and her husband purchased the business from the original owners. The studio turned out to be the perfect combination of Sara’s background in both marketing and painting and allowed her to realize her longtime dream of owning her own business!

Originally located in downtown Loveland, Studio Vino opened as a hot-spot destination for artists of all abilities. The original owners opened the studio after attending a “Canvas & Cocktails” class in Denver, which they realized would be a perfect fit for Loveland’s artistic community. They opened the studio in 2011 and found that locals and visitors loved the opportunity to paint, enjoy a glass of wine, and gather with community members and friends alike. After seven years in downtown Loveland, Studio Vino moved to Centerra in 2017. This move offered a great location within the bustling Promenade Shops at Centerra. Re-locating also offered Sara the opportunity to “re-open” the business as her own, which marked the beginning of a new journey as business owners for her and her husband.

The move was a little nerve-wracking for Sara, as she wasn’t sure what the community would think of the re-location; she was so thankful to find the Centerra community welcomed Studio Vino with open arms.

“This area is really friendly and they (the other businesses at The Promenade Shops) definitely made us feel welcome when we were the new business on the block,” Sara said, “and all of our customers have been really supportive during our move.”

Beyond the communal feeling, Sara loves all that this area of Loveland has to offer. She loves watching the sunset over the mountains from the studio and enjoys the outdoor activities that await just outside the studio doors. Sara also loves the fact that she’s now centrally located to communities like Fort Collins, Greeley and Denver.

The studio currently has 10 employees, all of whom are local artists in the Loveland community. This is something that is unique to Studio Vino, as they don’t hire outside art teachers for their painting classes, maintaining their community feel. The artwork taught in each class is a piece created by one of Studio Vino’s employees, giving each painting an extra personal touch. Each class is taught by a different employee, which allows students to learn firsthand from the artist who created the painting. Studio Vino became an all-female staff by pure coincidence, but Sara loves working with this group of women because they are so supportive of each other and willing to help when needed. Many of the Studio Vino employees also work other jobs, so the studio is like a “passion project” for most of the team members, allowing them to have a creative outlet and a way to connect to locals and visitors in Loveland.

When Sara isn’t at the studio, she’s spending time with her family. Sara’s sons are extremely active and love the outdoors, so their family is constantly spending time enjoying Loveland’s outdoor activities like mountain biking at Devil’s Backbone or climbing at Loveland’s local climbing gym, Wooden Mountain. Sara’s love for outdoor activities and the surrounding environment is apparent at Studio Vino as well. The studio participates in initiatives like recycling and re-using painting products. The studio always recycles the cardboard that comes with its canvas shipments, as well as implementing a “re-painting” technique which allows art teachers to re-use the same canvas multiple times.

While Studio Vino is known for its traditional “paint and sip” inspired classes, Sara is working to integrate new types of classes as well. They currently offer pottery classes, crafting classes, summer workshops for kids and an ever-growing list of activities. Beyond the in-studio class options, Studio Vino also offers traveling classes to local businesses and private parties. These are a great option for team building, birthday parties, bridal showers and many other occasions. Those interested in booking a mobile Studio Vino class can call the studio or place a request on their website. In addition to the artistic side of things, Sara also owns and manages the boutique at Studio Vino which sells clothing, jewelry and gifts and is open to the public even when classes are not in session.

With summer weather on the horizon, Studio Vino is the perfect place to beat the heat as you enjoy a date night, an afternoon with the kids or to find the perfect gift. Follow along with Studio Vino on Facebook and Instagram and get inspired to unleash your inner artist!

 

couples walking trail

High Plains Environmental Center (HPEC) has played an integral role in the Centerra community for as long as residents can remember. The idea for the center was originally thought up by Tom Hoyt, president of McStain Neighborhoods, builder of High Plains Village at Centerra. His long-held belief that conservation and development go hand-in-hand was one of the driving forces behind the creation of HPEC. The center officially registered as a non-profit on March 21, 2001 and celebrated its 18th anniversary earlier this year.

In 2007, Jim Tolstrup joined the team to indulge his love of nature. Jim oversees everything from HPEC’s land management program to maintaining native plant gardens to day-to-day administrative tasks. Jim has always had a love for the outdoors, plants, birds, and wildlife, making his position at HPEC the perfect fit.

Four years ago, a keynote speech by Brian Kurzel, Colorado Director of the National Wildlife Federation, sparked inspiration in Jim. Kurzel was discussing the organization and the Community Wildlife Habitat certification, explaining that nobody in Colorado had reached that achievement; Jim decided then and there that he would personally commit to becoming a part of the first Colorado community to become certified as a Community Wildlife Habitat. He began instilling the same inspiration in his teammates at HPEC, and dedicated hours toward reaching the certification requirements. Some requirements were already in place, others were easily achieved (creating a native plant garden, creating a list of Colorado native plants), and some proved to be more of a challenge, such as getting surrounding residents involved. In 2018, the center finally achieved its goal as Centerra became Colorado’s first Certified Community Wildlife Habitat. The center went above and beyond the certification requirements and were thankful to receive third-party acknowledgement of their hard work. “Having a credible, nationally recognized conservation group give us [the center] that acknowledgement, it’s a real validation of our accomplishment” said Jim.

Local homeowners can also register their yards to become Certified Wildlife Habitats, which contributes to Centerra’s eligibility in remaining certified. In order for a resident’s yard to be deemed a “wildlife habitat” it must meet certain requirements: must have a food and water source for wildlife, provide a source of shelter, and offer a place that wildlife could raise their young or build a nest. The National Wildlife Federation intentionally makes these requirements easily attainable so that residents can become certified without having to fully renovate their yard. For example, a water source can be something as simple as a water filled birdbath or something more complex like a fountain or stream. Once a resident’s yard fulfills these requirements, they will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about their outdoor habitats and complete a form in order to receive their certification. Certified residents not only help Centerra maintain its certification, but also contribute to Centerra’s community commitment to protecting a natural environment where residents and wildlife can thrive.

With Centerra’s population slated to grow in the next five to ten years, so will the importance of maintaining a commitment to protecting natural environments. Centerra is appealing to many residents because of its open spaces, trails, and variety of wildlife, but Jim emphasizes the importance of properly maintaining and respecting those areas to ensure they’re around to enjoy for years to come. A critical piece of being good neighbors to the wildlife that call Centerra home is ensuring dogs out enjoying the trails remain on a leash and on the path. In the last 40 years, bird populations in Colorado have decreased by 60%, with the most impacted species being ground nesting birds. When owners allow their dogs to run off-leash they have the ability to find and destroy these ground nests, or disrupt birds trying to create their homes. The long-term effects of these behaviors can drastically impact our community. Jim explains that if nests continue to get destroyed, or birds continue to be chased by off-leash dogs, they are more likely to leave our community entirely because they no longer feel safe within the community. Keeping dogs on leash is imperative to protecting and respecting our unique bird species.

Since reaching the goal of becoming Colorado’s first Certified Wildlife Habitat, HPEC decided to begin working towards a new goal: building a 2,400 square foot greenhouse classroom. This project is currently in progress and looks to serve as a source of plant production and act as a gathering place for residents. The greenhouse plans host dinners and events held by HPEC as well as be a hands-on classroom for students of all ages. The greenhouse will have a large focus on hosting professional development events in areas like horticulture, agriculture, biology and many more environment-focused professions. This community resource will allow students the opportunity to engage with professionals in those industries, as well as participate in demonstrations and presentations.

Every May HPEC hosts its Native Plant Sale to raise awareness about the necessity of native plants to a wildlife habitat. The sale was created five years ago to provide native plants to local community members. Beyond the fact that these plants are beautiful and an integral part of Centerra’s environment, Jim also thinks it’s important for the community to learn about replenishing depleted food and shelter sources for local wildlife. Because native plants have adapted to Colorado air conditions, high winds, and dry weather, they are a great option for providing food and shelter for Centerra wildlife. This year’s plant sale will be held on May 4 and May 18 from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. The sale also includes a habitat fair where participants can learn more about conservation efforts being made not only locally but state-wide. Partners like the Butterfly Pavilion, Colorado Native Plant Society, Honeybee Keep and others will be at the event to teach participants about their conservation efforts. If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please contact Lauren Sadowsky at lauren@suburbitat.org.

The High Plains Environmental Center has volunteer opportunities throughout the year for groups or individuals to get involved with their mission. If you’re interested in learning more about these opportunities, please reach out to Lauren Sadowsky at lauren@suburbitat.org, or check out HPEC’s events calendar on their website to find upcoming ways to dig in and help out.

Follow HPEC on social media to learn more about volunteer opportunities, upcoming events and their conservation efforts on Facebook and Instagram.