In my Corporate Communications course last year, I created a recommendation for the addition of an event space on Cal Poly's campus and presented it to the Assistant Dean of our college with three of my peers.

1. A Recommendation for Redesign of Cal Poly’s Arboretum
A Recommendation for Redesign of Cal Poly’s Arboretum
March 10, 2016
For Russ Kabaker, Assistant Dean of College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences
By
Taylor Driscoll, Kelsey Hitchen, Dreelan Hubbard, and Grace Ventura

2. Table of Contents
i
Table
of
Contents
Background
............................................................................................................................................
1
Need
.....................................................................................................................................................................
1
History
................................................................................................................................................................
1
Why
Now
............................................................................................................................................................
2
Similar
Recommendations
...........................................................................................................................
3
Incentives
for
Change
.........................................................................................................................
4
Permits
...............................................................................................................................................................
4
RPTA
opportunities
........................................................................................................................................
4
Alumni
and
Community
Opportunities
...................................................................................................
4
Event
space
........................................................................................................................................................
4
Implementation
Schedule
and
Budget
..........................................................................................
5
Implementation
Schedule
............................................................................................................................
5
Budget
.................................................................................................................................................................
5
Conclusion/Final
Recommendation
..............................................................................................
6
References
..............................................................................................................................................
7

3. Background
1
Background
We are writing this report to recommend that the College of Agriculture, Food and
Environmental Sciences (CAFES) redesign the arboretum on Cal Poly’s campus to be used for
an event venue.
Figure 1
Formal Garden
Figure one is the Formal Garden, which would be perfect example of a place were a
happy couple could have their pictures taken. When a couple decides our space as their wedding
venue, students in the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration (RPTA) major will be
given the opportunity to be a part of the wedding planning process. This project would be a great
example of Cal Poly’s motto: Learn By Doing. Many students that are concentrating in Event
Planning are interested in the wedding industry as their career.
Need
The Leaning Pine Arboretum has not received much love and attention other than
maintenance since it was created more than 50 years ago. Additionally Cal Poly RPTA majors
are eager to get more learn by doing experience in order to assist in getting to their 1,000 hours
of experience, goal. The idea has already been talked about among the members of the
Agricultural department; they now need real plans. No redesigns have been done to the
arboretum since 2006. The master plan was to move it to a less desirable location and replace it
with housing (McCorkle & Holloway, 2015).
History
The arboretum is knows as Cal Poly’s well kept secret. The Leaning Pine Arboretum has
been on campus for more than 50 years and is five acres of breathtaking land and views of the
nearby coastal mountains. The location of the arboretum in reference to Cal Poly is located
below in Figure 2.

4. Background
2
Figure 2
Location of Arboretum
The arboretum consists of beautiful gardens and foliage. Collections are arranged
primarily by nativity and feature a diverse array of trees, shrubs, and other landscape plants
appropriate for California's Central Coast area. The gardens display hundreds of unique and
intriguing plants primarily from the world's five Mediterranean climate regions (Leaning Pine
Arboretum, 2013).
Why Now
Previously, Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences has not
explored their opportunities with the “Learn By Doing” experience at the arboretum. It currently
is used as an educational tool for horticulture and botany students. In addition, the arboretum is a
great place for students to relax and study as seen in Figures 3 and 4. “The growth of the
arboretum has been a slow but steady process, evolving into what it is today from years of
classes and senior projects.” “It’s all very hands-on,” Wassenberg said. “It’s the ultimate Cal
Poly Learn by Doing experience (Loomis, 2015)”. Why limit these hands on experiences to only
horticulture and botany students.
With a new year, CAFES is determining how to allocate their budget. Previously, the
college was content with how the arboretum was being used. There is more room to move money
around and explore the possibilities of creating an event space in the arboretum.

5. Background
3
Figure 3 Figure 4
California Garden, Spring South African Spring
Last year, Cal Poly was granted 450 acres of land off of Los Osos Valley Road. This
addition of land has created more opportunities for agriculture and for students to have a hands
on experience. Horticulture and Botany students are exploring this new land, which allows room
for CAFES to add to the arboretum. We hope to allocate as much land and resources as possible
to exemplify Cal Poly’s motto.
Similar Recommendations
Cal Poly has recently decided to redo the space near the arboretum. We are simply
recommending a progression to go along with the renovation. We would like to take some of this
land and turn it into a multi use event space. A barn and garden space would be ideal.

6. Incentives for Change
4
Incentives for Change
Permits
We will not need permits for this proposal. We are asking for temporary structures that
can be removed. Also, everything is done through Cal Poly’s existing permits. If any unforeseen
permits are needed, Cal Poly administration will acquire them.
RPTA opportunities
The Recreation Parks and Tourism administration major is in the college of Agriculture,
Food and Environmental Sciences. One of the greatest incentives for change is the opportunity
this venue would provide RPTA students with. It is a degree requirement that a RPTA student
must complete 1,000 hours of applicable experience paid or unpaid in order do our internship,
which is the last quarter before we graduate. This event/wedding space would allow students to
complete some of their hours there. This is the true “learn by doing” experience that Cal Poly
thrives on. Additionally, in classes like RPTA 320 in which the students are required to plan an
event, they will now be able to do it on campus. Other majors have the “learn by doing”
opportunities already on campus and this is proving it to more majors. Having this experience of
helping plan weddings and other events while in school would make one a more desirable
applicant when applying to be a professional in the field.
Alumni and Community Opportunities
Another incentive for this change is for alumni and the community. Having this multi use
event space would allow alumni the chance to get married or host reunions in their college town
and at a beautiful venue. They would enjoy the authenticity Cal Poly’s arboretum brings as Cal
Poly students help to make their visions come true. Community members would also have the
opportunity to host their own events as this beautiful location. Having this space with continue
the positive relationship between the Cal Poly and the San Luis Obispo Community.
Event space
Additionally, when you have a venue made for weddings it is very easy to adapt it for
other needs. Cal Poly would be able to use this space for events that they host. This can be the
perfect spot for luncheons and other events. Now the students that help at this property can see
how one venue can be used for many different types of events.

7. Implementation Schedule and Budget
5
Implementation Schedule and Budget
When we sat down with Lori Gillespi, owner of Lorianna Ranch, she gave us some
insight as to what tasks needed to be completed in order to run an efficient events space (Table
2). After discussing the different aspects of running an event space with Mrs. Gillespi we
contacted Scott Coleman, owner of Spiess Construction, to give us some estimates as to how
much each task would cost and how long it would take to set up (Table 1 and Table 2).
Implementation Schedule
See table 1 below.
Due to the fact that we are using a temporary structure, the Fire Department requires that
we not only install a sprinkler system for safety reasons but also that we take down the structure
every six months for it to be considered temporary.
Budget
See Table 2 below
To put in a separate structure for bathrooms it would cost around $250,000, which is too
expensive for our budget so we decided not to put one in. We also decided that routing

8. Implementation Schedule and Budget
6
plumbing and other utilities for a kitchen would be too costly so we recommend that our clients
cater their event. To upkeep the event space we would allocate $1,000 every month for a
landscaping company to come in and take care of the foliage around the area.
We are starting conservatively with our structures but over time we would hope that we
will be able to update certain aspects of the space. As we add more amenities, such as permanent
structures for the wedding parties to get ready in before the event. With the updates made over
the years we will be able to raise our rates.
The money required to make this happen is being allocated in the Cal Poly Agriculture’s
budget. Over time, with people renting out the space and paying to have events there it wouldn’t
take long to offset our costs and start making a profit. Because we would own all of the chairs
and tables along with the tent, we would be able to charge a higher rate to have events held at the
venue.
Conclusion/Final Recommendation
We recommend that the college of Agriculture get started on this project this summer.
We ask that you, as our primary reader, bring up this idea in your next CAFES board meeting.

9. References
7
References
Arboretum. Kelsey Hitchen (Typed notes, photos). March 03, 2016.
Home - College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
(2010). Retrieved February 29, 2016, from http://www.cafes.calpoly.edu/
Kabaker, Russ. "Primary Reader Meeting." Personal interview. 20 Jan. 2016.
Leaning Pine Arboretum. (2013, April 1). Retrieved February 09, 2016, from
http://www.leaningpinearboretum.calpoly.edu/
Loomis, K. (2012, January 25). Leaning Pine Arboretum: Cal Poly's 'well-kept secret' - Mustang
News. Retrieved March 03, 2016, from http://mustangnews.net/leaning-pine-arboretum-cal-
polys-well-kept-secret/
Lori Gillespi. Lorianna Ranch. (Personal) 5 Mar. 2016.
McCorkle, M. D., & Holloway, G. (2015, July 22). Cal Poly's Leaning Pine Arboretum is an
oasis on campus. Retrieved March 27, 2016, from http://www.sanluisobispo.com/living/home-
garden/article39057279.html
Scott Coleman. SCCI Construction. (Personal) 4 Mar. 2016.
Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis II – Parking Costs. (2015, December 10). Retrieved
February 20, 2016, from http://www.vtpi.org/tca/tca0504.pdf