Peregrine Friends Group Adopts Parks

Peregrine Master HOA and Friends of Peregrine Parks & Open Spaces NEED Your Help!
Volunteering may be a lot easier than you think…
Guest Post by Jim Klever, Friends of Peregrine Parks & Open Spaces
The Peregrine Master HOA and the Friends of Peregrine Parks and Open Spaces have had a cooperative agreement in place since April of 2014 in order to assure that City owned Parks and Open Spaces in Peregrine are maintained in excellent condition. Expanding on that relationship, the HOA Board voted in August to proceed with formal adoption proceeding under the City of Colorado Springs Adopt a Park program to formally adopt three of the four parks/open spaces located in Peregrine.  Those spaces are Blodgett Peak Open Space,  Woodmen Valley Open Space, and Woodmen Valley Park. The fourth City property, Marshall Sprague Park, is currently adopted by Bridgett and Bill Ruskin who care for it. The HOA will adopt that park at some future date if Bridgett and Bill are no longer the adoptees.
So just what does “adopting” mean  when it comes to caring for our parks and open spaces? Pay attention, this is where you come in! Adoption duties vary according to the park or open space involved. Blodgett Peak Open Space and Woodmen Valley Open Space will have the Friends group perform duties appropriate for those spaces. This will involve the normal trail maintenance the Friends already do as well as litter cleanup. Where we need additional help is for Woodmen Valley Park. Duties at WVP include walking the grass areas at least once a week and  keeping an eye out for foreign materials, especially broken glass. Checking all paintable surfaces for graffiti, and playground structures for loose or missing nuts and bolts, loose platforms, or other damaged or missing pieces or parts. Checking the tennis courts area for litter, cracked surfaces, and weeds. Collecting litter and dog waste.  We need one or more individuals to take this on and file a report each month. The responsibilities can also be shared between individuals. There is no schedule, you can do this at times convenient to you.
In addition to the new Adoption Duties Volunteers are needed by the Friends group in the following areas:
1) Trail Maintenance: Physical work at scheduled times with a group maintaining trails at Blodgett Peak Open Space or Woodmen Valley Open Space under the supervision of  Certified Crew Leader. Work days are normally the 2nd and 4th Wednesday’s each month, 8:00-11:00am. You have complete flexibility to attend on days when it works for your schedule.
2) Volunteer Hikers:  Duties can be performed on your own schedule when you are hiking and enjoying one of the Parks or Open Spaces. Look for degradation of trails such as vegetation encroaching on trails, erosion, roots, rocks, rogue trails, etc.  Simply observe and report people behavior, animal sightings, or removal of materials from property. Use phone/camera to take pictures. Have trash bag/poop bag to collect trash. Report via email or phone as needed. Since you are already hiking for your own benefit, turn it into a time to benefit your neighbors.
3) Communications: Multiple opportunities exist to write articles for Peregrine Life magazine, local newspapers, social media, and other outlets. Talented writer preferred. Work on your own schedule at home.
5) Computer Related:  Submit Friends work day information to Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department and various trails organizations that maintain Friends groups schedules, etc. You may not be able to do the dirty work of trail maintenance but you can do this.
Peregrine residents enjoy the increased property value of living in such a beautiful area. Many of us enjoy the parks and open spaces on a regular if not daily basis judging by the cars in parking lots and the people visible in parks. Find a way to give a little back to the natural areas we all enjoy and help the Friends group take care of or areas.
For your information, the officers of the Friends are:
President-Jim Klever–719-238-5414   jrklever@comcast.net
Vice President-Pam Maier
Trail Crew Leader-Gary Moring
Please contact Jim Klever if you can help or for more information
jrklever@comcast.net or 719-238-5414

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