Video by Ron Bend and John Cline. Photos by John Eisele.
Wiley Acres is a 3.6-acre property just off West Highway 34 in Loveland with a view of the Devil’s Backbone Open Space, a century-old bungalow and a collection of chickens, ducks, tortoises, goats, cats, dogs, donkeys and one miniature horse.
And now, thanks to students in the Colorado State University CM Cares program, it also has a stand-alone, all-season ADA-accessible restroom that can accommodate the needs of adults with developmental disabilities who come to Wiley Acres for animal therapy.
Property owner Lauren Sturges, who works with Fort Collins-based Creatively Helping Individuals Live & Learn, or CHILL, says the new lavatory will allow more people to benefit from the farm’s resources.
“We have certain clients who use mobility devices who haven’t been able to come here because they wouldn’t have access to a bathroom,” Sturges said. “We want to develop this program and support the population we work with and create this community space for people, but we didn’t want to open it to the public or different programs until we know that it is safe and accessible. And the bathroom situation has always been our biggest limiting factor.”
CM Cares builds community
CM Cares, part of the Department of Construction Management in the CSU College of Health and Human Sciences, involves students in construction-related projects for people with special needs or service agencies needing assistance. CSU students develop leadership and team building skills by working with faculty, staff and industry partners on these community service projects.
Past CM Cares builds have included building a deck so three wheelchair-bound children could experience the outdoors in a safe environment and a team transforming a bedroom and bathroom for a young girl with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
More than 30 projects have been completed since the program’s inception in 2010. Students take the course CON464 – Leadership in Construction – to learn leadership traits, team building and ethics. The projects often involve working in a home with children with disabilities.
Sturges, who purchased the property in 2019 and named it after her late dog, said it would have taken years for her and her spouse, Alyssa, to build an accessible bathroom structure on their social worker salaries. A Foothills Gateway case manager convinced Sturges to apply to utilize the CM Cares program.
Sturges even wrote in her application letter that if a family has a child with a disability, they should be the priority. CM Cares deemed the effort worthy, along with another project that was for a child with physical challenges. Read more about the Fall 2023 CM Cares projects, including about how a Greeley boy received a chairlift and an accessible wheelchair ramp.
Dixon said the population they serve includes those with Down syndrome, autism, or developmental disabilities.
“I try to do therapy that’s focused on one animal that day or that week, depending on the number of groups that come out,” she said. “I’ll set up tables and bring one animal out for some interaction if they like – typically the mini-horse (Stud Muffin) because he is so calm and easy with the clients. They’re able to brush him, braid his hair, love on him, just hold him if they want, just do whatever feels good to them.”
Project start to finish
The first step for CSU student project coordinator Carson Oldemeyer and the CM Cares team was to understand the property owners’ needs. Then they had to plan around the challenges of the site, including a lack of space, a tree stump and curious animals – and not just those visited by clients.
Sturges said wildlife roam through the property, including an elk that made one of her two Great Pyrenees, Winston, semi-famous as the animals shared a kiss. Winston and Brother watch over the chickens and goats at night. Peep the chicken is loud.
“Everyone said that space was limited on site, especially with all the chickens and the cats. You’ve got to be extra careful,” said Oldemeyer, who joined JHL Constructors after he graduated in December.
The team included Oldemeyer, Jesse Amrein, Nathan Maloney, Emilio Montano, and Walker Polhamus, who started the project last fall and worked around their regular class schedule and dealt with construction delays like any professional builders.
“It’s a great experience,” Oldemeyer said. “Everyone had a good time. Everyone learned. Everyone taught each other. I think that’s cool.”
Finishing touches
Polhamus led the completion of the project this spring after the others graduated. An ice cream social/open house was held May 4.
“I think it’s beautiful,” Alyssa said. “I feel so excited to have this opportunity, and it really makes me want to upgrade everything else.”
Lauren Sturges said she looked forward to weekends when CM Cares work was being done.
“The students that worked on this project were amazing,” she said. “To be honest, we miss having them out here.”
Oldemeyer said he’d recommend the CM Cares program to all construction management students because the rewards of helping community members are more important than a line on a resume.
Bryan Flores, a 2021 CM Cares graduate and senior project manager at Swinerton, was proud to have helped put metal siding on the building. His class’s CM Cares project in 2020 was canceled by the pandemic, so he was glad to help complete a structure.
“It’s good to see the students get their hands on everything, because it’s valuable skills to bring into the industry,” he said. “It’s a sense of accomplishment for everybody. It is all about giving back.”
CM Cares is in the Department of Construction Management, part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
“The students that worked on this project were amazing. To be honest, we miss having them out here.”
