3rd Annual Waldo Waldo Oct 26–TOSC needs volunteers.
City progress on bike connections.
Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center temp closing.
Indie Spirit Film Fest Oct 17-19.
Upcoming Volunteer Events.
Info on Ballot Issue 1A–Vote Yes for Parks.
We are dedicated to the preservation of open space and parks, and the creation of a network of trails, bikeways and greenways for the Pikes Peak region.
NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF Oct 2, 2014
South Slope of Pikes Peak to open Saturday.
Admission by permit only, available on City website.
The South Slope of Pikes Peak will be open to the public by permit only this weekend and next Thurs-Sun, before closing Oct 14th for the season. A limited number of admissions will be available at www.springsgov.com/ssreservefor $15 per vehicle. Dogs are not allowed. Horses will eventually be allowed in South Slope when parking for horse trailers is completed.
The South Slope has been closed to the public 100+ years. The Trails and Open Space Coalition has been a leading advocate of opening the watershed for limited public recreation. We congratulate City Parks and CSU for their hard work and dedication to our shared goals, and a great outcome! More information at our website.
“Creek Week” events through Oct 11.
Waterway cleanups continue.
Help pick up litter in and near our community’s waterways, in one or more of the many events scheduled during the first annual “Creek Week.” All ages welcome; under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Most events ask that you pre-register. Full details at fountain-crk.org/cleanup.html.
–Saturday October 4th 8:30-11:30am at Pikeview Reservoir, info and signups, aplute@csu.org.
–Sat, Oct 4, 1 pm – 4 pm. Roswell Park, 515 Polk Street. Sponsored by theSierra Club. Info and signups, Janeardsmith@comcast.net. –Saturday October 11th 8:30am-12:00pm Fountain Creek Regional Park, sponsored by El Paso County parks, info and signups at this link.
Bikes lanes and boulevards: City makes connections.
Progress on improving bike routes and trail connections.
Several initiatives are underway this fall to improve non-motorized commuting connections throughout Colorado Springs and to create more awareness of bicycle safety laws.* Additional bike lanes were installed along Templeton Gap from Fillmore Street south to El Paso Street. Wayfinding signs, or directional street markings, will also be installed.
* Shared lane and bike lane markings were added to Monroe Street between Wahsatch Ave. and Templeton Gap Rd. in August.
* A Bicycle Boulevard will be installed on Corona Street between Monroe Street and Willamette Avenue this September. A bicycle boulevard is a low-speed street which has been “optimized” for bicycle traffic. Bicycle boulevards discourage cut-through motor-vehicle traffic but allow local motor-vehicle traffic.
*Southeast Colorado Springs connection to downtown: To complete bike lane connections from the Airport Road to the downtown area City Traffic Engineering will install bike lanes on Prospect Lake Drive from Union Boulevard to Logan Avenue and a new protected Contra-flow bike lane on Prospect Lake Drive from Logan Avenue north to Costilla Street (west of Memorial Park).
*The City’s first protected bike lane has been installed on Beacon Street where it turns east to West Van Buren Street.
*Green bicycle lanes will be painted along Tejon Street between I-25 and Motor Way.
Colorado Springs was rated #45 in the Top 50 Bicycle Friendly Cities in America by the League of American Bicyclists. For more information about bicycling programs, mobile-friendly bike racks, safety information and a map of bike lanes around the city visit www.coloradosprings.gov/bike .
TOSC needs volunteers Oct 26th.
Join 4,000 Waldos and break the World Record!
Sign up now to volunteer at the Waldo Waldo, October 26th. You can wear your Waldo costume or get one at a discount if you volunteer. Opportunities include helping out the day of the event, or at packet pickupOct. 20-24 in the afternoons. Details at TheWaldoWaldo.com/volunteer. Please be sure to put your Organizational Affiliation as “TOSC”, so they know we sent you–thanks!
Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center temporary closure Oct 1 – Nov 16.
Visitor info in the Central Garden.
Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center will be closed for major renovations from October 1st – November 16th, and will reopen on November 17th, 2014. Visitor information services will be available daily from 9:00am – 4:00pm at the Central Garden Trailhead adjacent to the North Main Parking Lot in Garden of the Gods Park, weather permitting.
Indie Spirit Film Fest Oct 17-19.
Closing films feature environmental themes.
The Indie Spirit Film Festival is Oct 17-19. The closing films, “Love Thy Nature” and “Dreams of the Last Butterflies,” are two films with environmental imagery and messages. Check out the descriptions here, and the festival schedule at this link.
If you would like to help pass 1A-YES FOR PARKS, and would like to put a sign in your yard or a local right of way, yard signs with the above design are available at our office, 1040 S. Eighth Street, Suite 101.
