Art cars, a larger sound area and spacious valley could await Colorado Burners in 2016
Apogaea is getting close to finalizing a lease with a landowner in Walden, Co. for the 2016 Apogaea event!
A deal between Apogaea and the landowner is expected within a couple of weeks, dependent upon upcoming bids to make road improvements on the property.
Earlier in October, the Apogaea Board of Directors visited a 750-acre parcel in the North Park area and decided to make moves to procure a five-year lease on a beautiful, sagebrush-filled valley.
This is a big step toward ensuring that Apogaea will secure land for its event next year, after a disappointing cancellation in 2015.
The Apogaea Land Use Committee is actively seeking contingency plans to secure a backup location, as well. If anyone knows of land that might be used for Apogaea, please check out our requirements and fill out the form here: Land for Apogaea Submission.
Talks with the landowner in Walden have been characterized as positive with “solid working
components already in play,” according to Apogaea’s Board of Directors. They expect a contract to be signed by the end of the year, with infrastructure improvements beginning before snowfall.
The parcel is much larger than land used in recent years and would cost less. Board members met with Jackson County officials, who said they are excited to host the Apogaea community and welcome participants’ investment into the local economy. The population of Jackson County is about 1,300.
With the additional space there could be an opportunity for art cars, a larger sound area, a separate quiet zone, a perimeter road for emergency access and fire control, plus much more room to grow.
They have proposed using 75 acres of the land for Apogaea’s “city.” The population would be capped at 2,000 participants in an effort to set the tone for sustainable event growth. With a change of land, and a year off, Board President Sharon Duran said they want to verify we have enough volunteers to manage the event responsibly.
There is no special event permit process in rural Jackson County, so Apogaea officials are meeting with key community leaders to garner buy-in and support.
Duran said the land is “gorgeous,” with rolling hills, sagebrush and a mosquito range along the eastern side of the valley. She said there aren’t many trees. There are no plans to mitigate the mosquito population at this time, but there are considerations to plan an event date after the mosquitos die off after spring rains.
Dates for the event haven’t been finalized and will depend on weather, mosquitos, and moisture on the land after spring rains. The dates will be announced as soon as possible.
The board decided to reduce the length of the event by one day from Thursday to Sunday. The reduction in length is meant to reduce pressure on the Department of Public Works (DPW).
It’s proposed that there would be a series of work weekends prior to the event, as well. The Wednesday immediately prior to the event would be available for early entry for theme camps, art installation, leads and event organizers. There is also a potential to keep the event open on the following Monday as an additional exodus date.
Infrastructure improvements include plans to widen the entry road to the Walden land and build an additional perimeter road around the proposed city.
Next Steps
There is still a need for Incident Command System, fire and medical leads. That said, the board is drawing on the experience of past leads to ensure safety and medical and airlift services. If you would like to volunteer in these or other departments, go here: Join Ignition.
Department leads are encourages to start putting their budgets together, and if you have questions about this process, please contact your board liaison. The 2016 Apogaea theme contest, art car permitting and dates of event will be announced as soon as possible! Sign up for the Apogaea newsletter to stay in the loop!