NEW Signs at Palmer Park
The posts have been planted! Some 500 posts along trails and critical intersections in Palmer Park will soon have signs to help users explore the 730 acre regional park without fear of getting lost. The adhesive used to attach the sign to the post requires temperatures above 60 degrees to “stick.” Parks Staff is hoping to begin the process later this week and finish by the end of April.Next in line to receive new signs: the northern return trail off the Manitou Incline, Bluestem Prairie Open Space and High Chaparral Open Space.
PARK AND TRAIL News
Cottonwood Creek Park
The installation of new artificial turf on three softball fields at Cottonwood Creek Park is now complete. The turf is a cost and water-saving measure that will save an estimated 2.8 million gallons of water annually. It will also allow the lighted sports complex to be used for other sports, like soccer, without risk of compromising field conditions.
Learn more about the project at coloradosprings.gov.
Ring the Peak Trail Update
Listen to Outdoors with Hiking Bob Podcast for an update on Ring the Peak! Bob chats with Mike Rigney, Ring the Peak Project Manager, about the status of the trail network around Pikes Peak, progress and challenges of closing the gaps and a timeline for when it might be completed.
Learn more about the project atwww.ringthepeaktrail.org.
Dog Park Friends
Every park deserves a Friends Group and dog parks are no exception. There are 11 public dog parks in El Paso County and 2 have Friends Groups. The Friends of the Fountain Creek Dog Park are one of the newest groups in the region. Their group is starting to have cleanups periodically. The Friends of Bear Creek Dog Park are a group that specializes in keeping their dog park clean as possible. They are known for annual cleanups like April Stools Day and Ghouls and Stools. If you are one of the 60,000 households that has a dog in the Pikes Peak region, think about giving some of your time to help one of these Friends Groups in our beloved dog parks!
TOSC
Do City Council Candidates Support Issue 1?
TOSC asked all City Council Candidates the following question:In addition to City Council races, voters will decide Issue 1. TOSC has taken a position in favor of Issue 1 because voters in Colorado Springs deserve the same transparency and accountability in ballot language afforded all other voters in Colorado. Do you support Issue 1? Why or why not.
Ballots are due by April 4th and can no longer be mailed!
Go to coloradosprings.gov/city-elections for dropbox locations.
Voter turnout for the city’s April election is always light, but this year it’s even lower than usual. Only 13% or just over 40,000 people have voted. Your vote matters! Please take the time to learn more about the candidates running in your district. And please vote Yes for Issue 1.
What would we do without our Friends?!
A generous member is using her birthday to support TOSC! Theresa Odello asked friends to skip presents and instead donate to the Trails and Open Space Coalition. To date she’s raised $290! Thanks to Theresa and all her supportive friends and family. During these challenging times, we truly do “get by with a little help from our friends.”
Community
Easter Egg Hunt at CMSP
Cheyenne Mountain State Park is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday! It’s supposed to be 72° this weekend, so get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather. Spots are limited for each age group.
Call the Visitor Center to sign up (719)576-2016
Work Day at Palmer ParkSat. April 3, 8:30 – 11:30 AM
DO YOU LOVE PALMER PARK? This Saturday you can help keep it awesome, there are three activities to choose from:
- You can help clean up the dog area up on Yucca Flats, sign up at https://cerv.is/m?0132gRWQM78
- With all our extra visitors we have a flurry of people shortcutting and creating damaging and ugly rogue trails. Help with the trail system by signing up at https://cerv.is/m?0132gBYy7Fx
- Another way to help the park is sweep the trails for trash! Sign up for hiking and cleaning at https://cerv.is/m?0132ggA8gZ7
Space is limited and registration is required!
E-Bikes on TOPS PropertiesWed. April 7, 7:30 AM
Class 1 Electric Bikes are currently allowed on Colorado Springs Tier 1 (concrete) trails. Starting on Memorial Day, class 1 and class 2 e-bikes will be allowed on all urban trails and class 1 mountain e-bikes will be allowed on soft-surface trails in city parks and open spaces. It’s a pilot project and will continue for one year. City Park Staff has promised to provide signage to soften the impact with posted bike speeds of 15 mph and will be monitoring impacts during the year before making a final decision. E-Bikes on TOPS properties will be discussed at the next TOPS Working Committee Meeting.
You’ll find information on the TOPS agenda and joining the meeting: coloradosprings.gov/parks/page/tops-working-committee
Exploring Our Urban Forest
April 10, 2:00-3:00 PM
Virtual lecture presented via Zoom
When General William Jackson Palmer founded our city in 1871, it was situated on a nearly treeless, shortgrass prairie. Under Palmer’s supervision, the Colorado Springs Company planted thousands of trees to make the city green and inviting. Today, the city has been recognized as a “Tree City, USA” for 44 straight years by the Arbor Day Foundation. Join us as we examine this fascinating history, discuss new forestry initiatives, and examine the future of our urban forest. We will also explore the science of “Tree Ring Research” being conducted at UCCS that focuses on human-environment interactions and the stories trees can tell.