Celebrating Our 10 Year Anniversary
Starting January 2026, the Brighton Institute is marking its TENTH year since its beginning in January of 2016.
When Don Despain bought the Brighton Store in 1976, he wanted to build on the legacy of Ray Watrous and create the first Nordic Ski Center in Utah. He quickly realized that it was much more than a business — it was part of a neighborhood community. Locals came in for a cup of coffee before starting their ski day, cabin owners stopped by to get a piece of carrot cake and get the canyon scoop, and all sorts of people came to eat at the café or get groceries and snacks and check out where to hike. The Nordic Center began in 1978 with success and expanded the community to the larger Nordic ski public. With Jolene as a marital partner, we realized our role as a community resource. After we sold the store to the Brighton Ski Resort, Don felt a bit of a loss of that community feeling.
A couple of trips over the years started Don thinking about our community in Brighton. On a trip to Philadelphia Pennsylvania, where the founding fathers started the Philosophical Society and later to Aspen, Colorado, where we attended a lecture at the Aspen Institute, Don thought about being part of something like this (on a smaller scale). He later realized that there were so many great people in our area. The people who visited or lived in the canyon had lots of varied interests and skills. There were smart, capable people, and Don thought we might be able to create something where people could get together to share their ideas and enjoy common interests.
BI Founder Don Despain
On a trip down the Grand Canyon River, Don talked to Carolyn Keigley about such an idea and Carolyn was intrigued and became a co-founder. They presented the idea at the next Big Cottonwood Canyon Association meeting. Barbara Cameron jumped on board (as she always does with fun ideas). The association thought the idea of an Institute was very exciting and they set up a Board of Trustees that very night. They decided to call it “The Brighton Institute.” The mission statement was centered on programs in Science, Arts, and Humanities. Donna Conway became the accountant for the group, even though there was no funding to speak of. But Barbara quickly added it to the BCCA and secured some funding through canyon running races and private donors.
The kick-off event in July of 2016 was an art show where canyon artists were able to showcase their work. Brighton Resort was very supportive, and Kim Doyle created space in the Brighton Store to set up an ongoing art gallery. Fine art was displayed throughout the summer and people enjoyed looking at our very own canyon artists’ paintings and other artwork.
Event and activity suggestions expanded the forum into community education and enlightenment. Brian Luftglass suggested the name B.I.C.E.P.’s (Brighton Institute Continuing Education Programs) to add to the Institute, which brought many interesting educational presentations into the mix. A subcommittee of the Big Cottonwood Canyon Historical Society was added which has been sharing our canyon history with archives and an exciting historical driving tour of the canyon. “Brighton Days” is an event at Brighton with booths and activities which coordinates with the Wasatch Wildflower Festival. It is fun for people to see a bit of what makes Brighton a great place to visit.
The Brighton Institute has partnered with other sponsor organizations that need recognition. Thanks especially to the Big Cottonwood Community Counsel, Brighton and Solitude Ski Resorts, the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, and the new Town of Brighton.
What are some of the programs hosted by the Brighton Institute that people have enjoyed and have been well attended?
Science: The geology tours at Solitude with Rodger Fry, butterflies of the Wasatch, winter birds in the canyon, moose biology, astronomy nights, and bird walks to name a few.
Arts: Art classes taught by Carolyn Keigly, gallery offerings, sketch nights, block printing, musical events, and mountain architecture.
Humanities: Native people in Big Cottonwood, community preparedness, and the new subset history committee. Some of the history events the BI has hosted include the history of Brighton Resort by Randy Doyle, History of the Godbe’s of Brighton by Doug Fry, Solitude Resort history, History of the Alpine Rose, and a favorite—history of Native Americans, the Shoshone tribe, and their relationship with the canyon by Darren Parry.
So many people have come together to make the Brighton Institute work over the years. Thanks to everyone on the Institute board and community partners. The Board of Trustees keeps all of it going with great ideas and a lot of hard work. Don and Carolyn are proud of the contribution the Institute has made to our community. It came together just as they hoped it would!