Branching Out in 2026:
The SOIL Hub
Where community grows and sustainability takes root.
The SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab is expanding! Building on the success of the Community Garden (Phase 1) and Grow Dome (Phase 2), we are excited to complete Phase 3: The Hub. This open-air innovative campus will host year-round inspiration, learning, and connection for the entire community.
Target Completion: Late 2026
Explore the Hub
The Horizon Stage
The heart of The Hub is already beating. The Pavilion, built in 2025 from reclaimed and recycled materials, provides an open-air venue for performances, workshops, field trip activities, and community gatherings. Natural, tiered amphitheater seating with a view of the surrounding mountains and ridges will complete the space.
Pollinator & Rainwater Gardens
These gardens are more than just beautiful; they are functional. Designed to support local biodiversity, the Pollinator Gardens will provide critical habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds. Integrated Rainwater Gardens demonstrate how to capture and utilize runoff to nourish the landscape.
Animas Watershed Flowscape
This interactive, three-dimensional representation of our local mountains and streams will feature elements of water play that engage visitors of all ages while teaching them about critical local water and river-related issues. It offers a hands-on way to understand how our choices impact the watershed that sustains us.
Seasonal Spotlight
To keep the experience fresh and relevant year-round, we have dedicated space for rotating seasonal exhibits. This versatile area allows us to host temporary installations, research projects, and topical educational displays that change with the seasons and community interests.
Living Soils Exhibit
Beneath our feet lies a complex world. The Living Soils exhibit dives deep into the soil food web, demonstrating soil regeneration techniques that can restore health to our land. Visitors will learn how healthy soil provides local and global benefits, from carbon sequestration to water retention, empowering them to take these lessons home to their own gardens.
Imagination Hill
This whimsical landscape, shaped with natural materials, will provide opportunity for unstructured play, encouraging kids to climb, roll, build, cozy up, and connect with the land. The sky is the limit (or is it?) as imaginations run wild.
Nature Art Garden & Studio
Where art meets earth: play with clay, draw with straw, weave with leaves. This space will invite creators of all ages to interpret the outdoors using natural materials collected and grown on site. Individuals and collaborative groups will be invited to dabble with a wide range of techniques and materials.
SOIL Lab current site
Help Us Grow: Phase 3
We have big goals to meet by the end of 2026. Whether you can fund materials, wield a shovel, or offer expertise, there is a role for you in building The Hub.