Fans of Sabino Canyon will have two big things to celebrate in the coming weeks: the return of the Sabino Canyon Tram and a beautiful new shade structure that will heighten the enjoyment of Sabino’s natural beauty during Tucson’s endless sunny days.
Working in VERY close partnership with Friends of Sabino Canyon, the U.S. Forest Service, and The Regional Partnering Center, Caylor Design and Construction was chosen to construct the beautiful new shade structure, designed by Eglin & Bressler Architects, in anticipation of the Tram service starting running again this week.
And while this could never be considered a “big” job, it’s certainly a big deal to the almost one million visitors Sabino Canyon sees every year, and so it was a project we took on happily and poured our whole hearts into. Working on a project like this, in what we consider to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, was an assignment we relished. Without a doubt, our biggest challenge was Mother Nature and our deep commitment to having as little impact on the Canyon as possible. The meticulous planning we put into every aspect of construction – especially getting our essential heavy equipment, backhoes and concrete trucks back into the site were rewarded with minimal or no impact on the environment. There were days where the creek was roaring, and our crews couldn’t even get back to the site!
For some companies, this project would have been too small and too demanding to be worth the effort. At Caylor, we were proud that we were trusted to be up to the task. And we’re VERY proud of the results! (The images and copy are from Pedro Gastelum with Caylor Design and Construction.)
“Fans of Sabino Canyon ” – You certainly seem to be one of them, don’t you. But it really looks like a fantastic (hiking) area.
There are a lot of trailheads for hiking in the Canyon and the Santa Catalina Mountains. For those who don’t or can’t hike, the tram is back after changing operators, in transition until the electric trams are manufactured. Stop #9 (four miles into the Canyon) doesn’t have nearby trees for shade, so Friends of Sabino Canyon have provided the money to provide shade for hikers returning from hikes in the Upper Canyon.
Thanks for the info, Kenne! 🙂
These sound like great additions to the Canyon – shade for those who want to hike and a tram for those who can’t.