Possible vote on Jones Park at City Council meeting.
Our best estimate so far of the City Council vote date on Jones Park isDecember 9th. We will keep you updated on the date and time for public comment and the vote when it comes up on a City Council agenda. Links to City Council members’ email addresses are at the link below. Thanks to all who expressed to City Council that Jones Park is a public asset and should not be for sale!
For more information about the proposed sale or transfer of Jones Park, see our article at this link.
Trail repair project in Cheyenne Cañon.
Closure schedules for Mt Cutler, High Drive.
Expect trail repairs over the next few weeks as FEMA projects go forward. The Mt Cutler Trail will be closed Monday through Friday morning beginning next week as crews repair a failed slope above the pedestrian bridge. To accommodate hikers, the trail will be openFriday afternoon through Sunday during construction. Construction will resume on High Drive, but recreational use will continue during construction. Hikers with dogs are asked to keep them leashed for the safety of construction workers and the pets while work is underway.
Hikers and bicyclists will see lane closures in Cheyenne Cañon and Bear Creek Canyon Parks due to smaller construction projects also underway.
Speak up for City Parks!
Final community meeting December 4th.
Our parks need you to speak up! Please come to the last Community Meeting hosted by Mayor Bach on Dec 4, and let the Mayor know that parks are a priority and as important as fixing potholes–they are necessary for our quality of life, and are an economic driver for the region.
Thurs, Dec 4. Cheyenne Mountain High School (Southwest), 1200 Cresta Rd, CO 80906.
If you can attend, check out the trail projects on the city’s list of “high priority projects.” The list includes sections of the Palmer- Mesa Trail, Homestead Trail, Shooks Run Trail and Rock Island Trail. We encourage residents to come to the meetings with your questions and concerns, and speak up for the importance of our City Parks.
Free, family-friendly event with Friends of Garden of the Gods.
Join the Trails and Open Space Coalition and the Friends of Garden of the Gods for a magical 2-mile hike under the full moon in the Garden, 6:30 to 7:30 pm, Friday, December 5th at the Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, 1805 N. 30th Street.This is a free event; donations gladly accepted through the Indy Give! campaign the night of the event. Dress warmly! Please wear hiking shoes and dress in layers; bring flashlights or headlamps. This event is suitable for children 8 and up. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the hike.
Give Campaign is underway!
In the past five years with Indy Give!, your donations have helped us make a real difference in our community for trails, parks and open spaces. Among 75 nonprofits, we are currently in second place for total number of donors.
Bear Creek Watershed, Ring the Peak, Banning Lewis Ranch. These are some of the top priorities on our plate in the coming year. If you would like to see these areas preserved, and want to help us make these projects a reality, please consider a gift through the Indy Give! It’s fast, easy, and you get great rewards from local merchants!
We are so grateful that so many of you value TOSC! Let’s work together to protect what so many of us came here for–our parks and open spaces.
PikesPeakSports.us & Jack Quinn’s Party
Christmas Bash Dec 16 benefits local charities.
You’re invited to the third annual PikesPeakSports.us/Jack Quinn’s Running Club Christmas Bash, 5-9 pm, Dec. 16 at Stargazers Theatre, 10 South Parkside Drive (about three blocks east of Memorial Park on Pikes Peak Blvd.) Bring a new, unwrapped toy, or non-perishable food items for your entry, which go to the nonprofit organizations the Bob Telmosse’ Foundation and Care and Share Food Bank. There will be good beer and food for sale, live music, vendors and merry makers to spread the Christmas cheer. There will be a 5K course laid out–your choice to run, walk, or stay at Stargazers.
Last year, you all contributed about 830 pounds of food and about $2,000 worth of toys. Can we do better this year? We’ll see you there, Colorado Springs!
Ute Valley Park Master Plan update
Draft Master Plan Open House Jan 27, 5 pm.
Parks staff is working on a draft Master Plan for Ute Valley Park, using input from the two public meetings that have been held so far, and will present it at an open house Jan 27, 5-7 pm at Eagleview Middle School. To see the input from the first public meeting and the stated goals of the process, see this link. To give your input on the proposals, email sbryarly@springsgov.com.
Falcon Regional Park, Phase 1
Master planning process underway; weigh in!
El Paso County Parks is starting the master plan process for Phase 1 of the Falcon Regional Park, 215 acres located west of Eastonville Road and north of Falcon High School. The public is being asked for their comments. What should Phase 1 include? Mountain Bike trails? Equestrian trails, playing fields, playgrounds?–you can give your opinion, now through Dec 12th. Go here for more background and the survey link.
Upcoming Volunteer Projects.
Sign up now for projects Dec 6th.
Sat, December 6, Three Events:
Trails and Open Space Coalition is working with Dombach Mitigation & Trail Management to install erosion control fabric and make repairs on the Ute Pass Trail, near the base of the Incline in Manitou Springs.
Meeting Location/Time: Free parking lot next to Memorial Park in Manitou Springs at 10 am. We will carpool to the site as parking is limited. Volunteers should bring sturdy work shoes and long pants, lunch, water bottle and gloves (gloves can be provided). We need 10-20 volunteers. The work is moderate and volunteers should plan on a 4 – 5 hour work day. For more information and to sign up, email Vince@trailsandopenspaces.org.
The Pikes Peak Road Runners have adopted a section of the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, from the 8th Street Wal-Mart to the Bijou Bridge. Monthly cleanups are held to pick up trash along the trail. The monthly cleanups occur on the first Saturday of each month. Meet at the 8th Street Wal-Mart, in the SE corner of the parking lot. The cleanups last for about 2 hours. Everybody is welcome to come and help clean the trail. Bring a pair of work gloves. Trash bags will be provided.
Guardians of Palmer Park will hold their monthly cleanup and work day Dec 6th. Meet at 9 am by the baseball diamonds near the Maizeland entrance. Activities may entail picking up trash, ridding the upper mesa of dog waste and possible trail repair work. Well-supervised children are welcome. Please RSVP togopalmerpark@gmail.com. As with most trail/park projects, please bring work gloves, water, snacks, sunscreen, sturdy footwear, rain gear, clothing layers, and anything else you would commonly bring on a short hike.
