COLORADO SPRINGS — The theater at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center has become one of the first in the nation to use Blu-ray high-definition technology for playback and projection.
The theater’s equipment was upgraded as part of a project that includes a new movie.
The system — including projection equipment, 23-foot screen, surround sound and the Blu-ray film, “How Did Those Red Rocks Get There?” — cost about $150,000, said Nancy Lewis, president of the Garden of the Gods Foundation.
“This is a big addition to the Garden of the Gods and to Colorado Springs,” she said.
Last year 580,000 people visited the center, which is privately owned and operated. The center’s proceeds go to the park through its foundation. Since 1995, when the center opened, the foundation has given more than $1.5 million to the park.
The film, which premiered Tuesday, covers the history of the park and Colorado Springs in still photos and 1913 film footage from the British Film Institute. Also featured are current aerial views of the landscape and interviews with experts.
Lyda Hill, the founder and owner of the visitor center, said watching “The Blue Planet” and “Planet Earth” inspired her to bring high-def to Garden of the Gods.
“That’s what people want, and I wanted to bring that technology and clarity to our visitors,” she said. “You have to keep up. When you can’t keep up, you are behind.”
Visitors should not expect such high-tech equipment at other public parks, said Clare Sinacori, a spokeswoman for Colorado State Parks.
It’s unusual for a public park to receive such heavy financial support from a privately funded visitor center.
“We don’t foresee anything like that in the future,” Sinacori said of the other state parks and centers. “We have fiscally different responsibilities.”
Admission to the 12-minute movie, which will show every 20 minutes, is $5 for adults and $2 for children.
The film was created by John Bourbonais and his wife, LeAnne Carrouth, who were married at Garden of the Gods years ago. Bourbonais, producer for Colorado Springs-based Bourbon Street High Definition Production Co., and Carrouth are internationally known for their documentaries and other filmwork.
“I learned more in 12 minutes than in all the time I spent up there by myself,” said Ken Weaver, who caught the film’s premiere Tuesday. “The history, the indigenous tribes, the views. I’m kind of a techno nerd. Everything was incredible.”
Elizabeth Aguilera: 303-954-1372 or eaguilera@denverpost.com
