New projects will improve base quality of life Published Oct. 22, 2007 By Corey Dahl 21st Space Wing Public Affairs PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- From picnic areas to bus shelters, housekeeping carts to fitness equipment, end-of-year funds are bringing Peterson lots of new goodies now and in the coming months. The 21 Space Wing's Civil Engineering and Services squadrons did especially well this year, receiving approval for several projects and purchases that should improve quality of life for anyone who uses Peterson facilities. Some of the improvements that received funding were mandated or necessary, said Robert Miller, chief of contracts for CE, while others are nice bonuses made possible by extra funds this year. "A lot of the projects are necessary repairs or maintenance," he said. "But we've also had some projects on our end-of-year list that have been there three to four years, and they finally got funded. It was great to see that." Some of the projects CE will be working on in the coming months include the construction of an outdoor picnic area near The Club, the installation of three new bus shelters and the development of Peakview Park on Pete East, where a playground, barbecues and a volleyball court will be installed. Several office buildings will also receive inside and outside renovations this year, including wing headquarters, the medical clinic, a dorm building and the education center. The old Enlisted Club will be partially transformed into a mental healthcare center. Lots of fitness improvements are also on the way. CE will be renovating the tennis courts, while the Fitness Center has received funds for new equipment and heart-rate monitors. A maintenance contract for the Fitness Center was purchased with end-of-year money as well, which will allow factory-trained technicians to quickly repair the center's equipment. "With our facility open long hours and with our equipment used as hard as it is, this maintenance contract will keep equipment running longer and is a definite plus for our customers," said Ben Beck, fitness and sports center manager. Other Services programs that benefited from end-of-year funding include the Library, which received funds for additional Rosetta Stone licenses and replacement books, and Outdoor Recreation, which purchased new folding chairs and canopies. Lodging was also able to buy additional refrigerators, housekeeping carts and ice machines. At the Auto Hobby Center, more than $27,000 in end-of-year funds allowed the shop to buy items such as self-loading automotive jacks, a hot pressure washer and new software that diagnoses vehicle problems and then prints out instructions on how to repair them. "I felt great about the end-of-year money and what we could buy with it," said Calvin Gammon, Auto Hobby Center manager. "It has helped us get things that are both good for the customer and good for the employee."