For years, most people at Cal Poly Pomona had no idea the campus was home to a natural spring behind Building 1. But California’s record drought in 2011 got biology Professors Tina Hartney and Ed Bobich thinking about a campus water initiative.

“At a time when we were concerned about water, it was no small bit of irony that we had a natural source of water coming out of this spring — water that had sustained people and animals for years that was now going into a drain,” Bobich said.

Their vision to uncover Lower Kellogg Creek and transform it into an outdoor learning environment became a reality this fall when the university officially opened Project Blue. The outdoor classroom includes picnic benches and umbrellas, native plants, a curved path that mimics the flow of water, and “Creek Cams” for wildlife observation. The space, which is about a half-acre, highlights natural resources, environmental sustainability and opportunities for learning.

“In that sense Project Blue is more of a restoration than it is a new development.” Hartney added.

The Ernest Prete Jr. Foundation provided $200,000 gift that brought Project Blue to life. Mohammad Virani, president of the foundation, visited the campus and believed in the faculty members’ vision.

“I saw the passion they had for this project and that it could provide a tremendous learning experience for students. Such experiences as these can be life-changing. The foundation also supported BioTrek and the Mesozoic Garden which have shown the value of such outdoor learning environments,” Virani said.

“Ernest Prete Jr. believed we ought to leave the world a better place. In support of that vision, we continue to partner with Cal Poly Pomona and help develop students who are making a difference in the world.”

Bobich and Hartney already have curriculum planned around the site.

“Students can study the evolution of life in riparian habitats and use the solar umbrellas at the site to power microscopes and examine the water that is teeming with life,” Bobich said.

In Hartney’s life science, students learn about the importance of riparian habitats, but the benefits of Project Blue goes beyond biology and science students.

“Every single department on campus has a connection to this project. There is conservation and sustainability, water rights, environmental design and civil engineering involved, and art classes can capture the beauty of the site,” Hartney said.

The project was designed by Studio-MLA, including alumni Claire Latané (’06, master’s in landscape architecture), who also is an adjunct faculty in the College of Environmental Design, and Studio-MLA principal Jeff Hutchins (’90, landscape architecture).

“It was a joy to work with a team that has such a connection to the land and knows the flora and fauna,” Latané said. “The walkway is curved to mimic the flow of water and the pebbles along one side are embedded by hand. This represents the transformation of rocks to sand through the force of water.”

Mike Brown, curator of Rain Bird BioTrek, described the intentionality paid to native plants and the overall design.

“Students from the colleges of science, agriculture, and environmental design helped clear the area of non-native plants and then carefully sculpted seep points, placed rocks and planted native plants,” He said.

At Project Blue’s dedication on Sept. 25, University President Soraya M. Coley said talked about the new opportunities for K-12 students visiting the campus. “These students also get to see a college campus firsthand. Regardless of their background, when these students come to our diverse campus, they see that they belong here,” she said. “This special project holds the great potential to open the doors of college to even more of our region’s students.”

After the dedication, Virani told a group of students that he was thrilled they had the opportunity to work on this project. “It’s something you’ll remember. You can be proud that you were a part of this. One day you may bring your children here and show them what you’ve done.”

Cal Construction and Development was the general contractor on the project. Inland Concrete Works was the subcontractor that did the hardscape and LandCare handled the landscaping.