New theater at the visitor center & bike rentals

[hikeaz]

Since the 'new' visitor center was built (are you sitting down?... for $24,017,000! )we have missed the good ole movie they used to show at the old one. The new V.C. is a stark, uninviting place, especially compared to the old one. Hopefully this theater will be some improvement. It is doubtful that they will bring back the old movie (which i never tired of watching) but we can hope I guess.


Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon Visitor Center Soon to Have Theater
Grand Canyon, Ariz. – The Grand Canyon Visitor Center, the National Park Service’s primary visitor contact station on the South Rim, will soon be getting an addition – a theater for the park’s interpretive orientation film which is currently in production.
Within the next two weeks, Loven Contracting, Inc. of Flagstaff, Arizona will begin construction of a 3,400 square foot theater with seating for more than 200 people. The theater will include an array of photovoltaic panels on the roof that will offset the cost of electrical services for the building and a water catchment system that will allow the use of rain water for the watering of plants in the visitor center plaza.
Once completed, visitors will enter the theater through the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, where new interpretive exhibits are planned for the future. According to park Chief of Interpretation and Education Judy Hellmich-Bryan, the film and future exhibits will “greatly improve the experience of the park’s millions of visitors by providing a better understanding of Grand Canyon’s natural and cultural resources and the mission of the National Park Service.”
During construction, it will be necessary to fence off a portion of the walkway in the immediate vicinity of the Visitor Center in order to provide a safe and secure work area. Pedestrian detours will be appropriately signed as needed; and the Visitor Center will remain open throughout the project.
Completion of the project is expected by March, 2011.

( dead link removed )NO, not on the Bright Angel Trail (although Xanterra likely lobbied for it) ..... (God help these poor bike riders with all the tourists doing a 'driving tour' of all the overlooks) ( dead link removed )

[joebartels]

What was the old movie?
( dead link removed )

[hikeaz]

It had a little bit of everything, but I guess that you could characterize it as a history of the Canyon; geological, indigenous people, the 'settling' of the area as well as a history the exploration of the River. It had some fantastic historical footage and outside the building they had some of the old watercraft that the early river-runners used (OMG!) Anyone who has hiked South Bass has likely seen the 'Ross Wheeler' at the River's edge; could you imagine running the River in THAT?!
( dead link removed )
( dead link removed )
( dead link removed )