Editor’s note: Opinion pieces are published for discussion purposes only
By Desert Edge Supports | Scottsdale Independent
When our group of local community leaders, business executives, philanthropists and volunteers began work to fulfill the 30-year vision for a Desert Discovery Center in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, we expected passionate dialog.
In fact, we signed up for it.
We knew that this project, its purpose, its location and its cost should be debated. We welcomed the early criticism of 10-year-old foundational concepts. We solicited the opinions of hikers, bikers, preservationists and lifelong neighbors who agree this land is a sacred space that needs to be protected. That feedback fueled the architects and designers who reimagined the Desert EDGE to minimize visual impact, reduce the footprint and limit the cost to create a project that our great-grandchildren will be proud of.