Tahoe Truckee Campus Groundbreaking Ushers in New Era

TRUCKEE— In the late afternoon on Monday August 6th, Truckee Mayor Richard Anderson, Perry Norris of the Truckee-Donner Land Trust, five representatives from the Sierra College Board of Trustees, and Sierra College Superintendent/President Leo Chavez turned spades of dirt to commemorate the building of the first permanent site for the Sierra College Tahoe-Truckee Campus.

Located atop the picturesque property of McIver Hill, this new campus will owe its existence to public-private partnerships and community support. “This is the continuation of the dedication that this region has always had for education, remarked Dave Ferrari, Sierra College Area 2 Trustee and Kings Beach resident. This community college has the potential to not only educate our college bound children, but also our workers needing retraining, our adults wanting to return to college and our seniors looking for lifelong learning opportunities.’

The genesis for the new campus began in 2004 when regional voters overwhelmingly approved Measure H, a $35 million dollar bond measure. The plan includes a 40 acre site on the top of McIver Hill surrounded by a 73 acre conservation easement granted to the Truckee Donner Land Trust during the purchase of the property.  This easement will provide community access to the undeveloped portions of McIver Hill for study, hiking (the property will eventually become part of a regional trail system) and other recreational activities.

 During the past three years, the campus design team has worked with Sierra College faculty, staff, and community members to develop a building design that reflects local community standards and responds to the unique mountain climate of the region. The design team is pursuing LEED Silver Certification with a focus on credits related to indoor air quality, day lighting, and thermal comfort.  At the fall 2006 conference of the California Community College Facilities Coalition, Sierra College and Lionakis Beaumont Design Group were presented with an Award of Merit. ‘I’m proud of what has been accomplished here,’ said Leo E. Chavez, Sierra College Superintendent/President.  ‘It is an example of the power of collaboration. The campus will serve as a model educational center and as a hub of activity for the community for years to come.’

The Sierra Community College District covers over 3,200 square miles serving all of Placer and Nevada counties. With over 20,000 students, Sierra provides excellent, affordable education for students of all ages and all stages of life. Sierra ranks #1 in Northern California for transfers to 4 year institutions and #1 in California for awarding Associate Degrees.

*