Windsor, Water Valley and Aims Community College partner to bring automotive programs to Windsor

Sherrie Peif, (Bio) speif@mywindsornow.com
May 7, 2008

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In a three-way partnership with the Town of Windsor and Water Valley Land Co., Aims Community College will open an automotive technology and automotive collision and repair program facility in Windsor next spring.

The parties involved have been working on the deal since October. They made the announcement official through a press release Monday.

Windsor residents who reside in Weld County support Aims through their property taxes.

"I am very excited to have Aims Community College come to Windsor. This is a landmark occasion as this is the first post-secondary education facility to locate to Windsor," said Windsor Mayor John Vázquez in the press release. "Having the college in town will make Windsor an education destination, and this will mark the beginning of Windsor's presence amongst other college campuses. As a tremendous supporter of higher education, I am thrilled to see Aims build the Windsor campus as I feel this campus will offer a dynamic curriculum on a regional level as Windsor is centrally located amid Fort Collins, Loveland and Greeley. I personally wish to welcome Aims to Windsor, and look forward to a long lasting relationship with the college and the Town of Windsor."

Aims Community College took the first step to bring the program to the Iron Mountain Automotive complex in Windsor, located at U.S. 34 and Weld County Road 17 by securing a seven-acre parcel through an in-kind donation from Water Valley Land Co. The donation allowed the college to secure the parcel for about $770,000.

"Water Valley Land Company is proud to be able to be part of the team bringing the first college to the town of Windsor," said Martin Lind, president of Water Valley Land Co. in the release. "Our children are our future, and an institution of higher education is a way a community can make an investment in this future. Aims Community College is a quality option for a lot of kids, and the synergy created by the Iron Mountain Automotive complex makes it a natural fit. We're excited that through growth of this kind Windsor is able to meet more of the needs of its families and residents."

Classes are expected to start in spring 2009. It's not the first time Aims has targeted Windsor for expansion. An effort to offer classes in the 18,000-resident town failed two years ago when enrollment didn't meet expectations.

The 35,000-square-foot building will have room to expand as the community grows. The program will focus on the technology involved with alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles.

Shifting the program to the Iron Mountain site will create new space for the college's fire sciences and aviation program, which is expanding to the trades and industry building on the Greeley campus

"We see the opportunity that Martin Lind and the folks at Water Valley are offering the college as a springboard that will allow Aims to bring higher education right into Windsor, something our taxpayers there have been requesting for a long time," said Aims President Marsi Liddell. "We are also grateful to the Town of Windsor for supporting this endeavor."

The average salary for local auto mechanics is approximately $35,000 and $41,500 for collision repair experts.

-- Tribune reporter Chris Casey contributed to this story.