Friends Group, Coming Soon
Coming soon, a Friends Group for Briargate Parks and Trails! We need your help getting a Friends Group launched in the Briargate area of Colorado Springs. This group will provide volunteer support and advocate for the parks, trails and open spaces that weave between and connect the neighborhoods. This Friends group intends to continue the momentum of the Briargate Special Improvement Maintenance District ballot initiative that passed in November of 2021.If you are interested in receiving more information about this or other Friends Groups, please contact TOSC Program Coordinator, aaron@trailsandopenspaces.org.
PARK AND TRAIL News
Panorama Park Stakeholders MeetingFRI. MARCH 11, 5:30 – 7:00 PM
Please join the City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services and RISE|Southeast for the first of three stakeholder meetings for the exciting Panorama Park project! Work has been progressing very well on this major
neighborhood park renovation. The organizers are eager to hear from local Southeast residents and lead a community conversation about activation, stewardship and safety in the new and improved park.
The team is striving to meet the needs of local residents, provide easy access and encourage maximum participation. Having the voice and desires of the community reflected in this major project has been at the core of the work being done, so please join us and tell your friends and neighbors too. The more people that are involved, the better the final outcome will be! This first meeting is being held at Carmel Community School, and also zoom.
More info via Facebook event or Panorama Park Renovation Project.
Additional Community Stakeholder Meetings planned for April 8th and May 13th.
Coleman Park PlanWe have an update on the Coleman Community Park planning process. The now 70-acre park site was acquired in 1995. It’s time to explore its potential and create an outdoor recreation destination for the city’s east side. The “envisioning phase” begins now. There is a sports organizations pdf survey open until March 11th.
The first of three public meetings will take place within the next couple of months. Sand Creek High School youth will be part of the process as will east side sports groups. The plan is expected to be completed by April 2023. TOSC staff will attend all meetings and bring you updates. We are particularly excited about extending Sand Creek Trail and providing access to Sand Creek as part of the park. With the failure of 2C last November, finding funding for construction will be the challenge.
Learn more at coloradosprings.gov/ColemanPark
Palmer Park Work DaySat March 5, 9:00 – 1:00 PM
Do you LOVE Palmer Park? Come out to help the Guardians of Palmer Park keep the park clean and safe for all users. Sign up for one of the crews:
-Trash Cleanup – cerv.is/0132giENhXa
-Off Leash Dog Area Cleanup – cerv.is/0132gBk5wjB
With Friends Like These…From time to time, TOSC shines a spotlight on Friends Group Volunteers that are making a huge impact in our parks and trails community. This week, we feature Larry Farris of the Black Forest Trails Association (nominated by Rich Moch, current president of BFTA). Larry served as BFTA President from 2010 to 2020 and remains active on the BFTA board. Through the years under Larry’s leadership, BFTA advocated for preserving and adding more open space (Pineries Open Space and Falcon Regional Park), established and strengthened Friends Groups that are active in Black Forest, worked with developers to establish trail systems in new developments and lobbied for El Paso County to establish a Nature Center for Northern El Paso County. Currently, he has been working on solving trail access problems and advocating for connector trails that will provide more trail connectivity in Black Forest. Larry was able to use decades of leadership experience he gained while serving nearly 30 years in the Air Force to benefit the outdoor places he loves. Think about the different skills you have and how you could help a Friends Group succeed with your talents.
Inspired to learn more about the Black Forest Trails Association?
Visit www.blackforesttrails.org for more information.
TOSC
TOSC BREW SPECIAL TAPPING
Mon March 7, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Join us at Lost Friends Brewing Company for the special tapping of our own custom “Hazy Hound” Mango Hazy IPA (made by TOSC staff!). Pints and crawlers will be available, with $1 from each sale of this beer being donated to TOSC. Our staff will be on site updating patrons on the latest park and trail news and raffling off some prizes, including our new dog bandanas! Lost Friends Brewing Company is VERY dog-friendly, so be sure to bring your favorite hiking buddy along!
Get out Spread out – A Tool to UseTwo years ago COVID arrived in Colorado and dramatically changed the way we shop, work and so many other aspects of our lives. The one constant was our trails, parks and open spaces. Health experts told us then that spending time outdoors was a great choice for our physical and mental health.
Concerns about the pandemic have eased as positivity rates have dramatically declined.
Today many of us are anxious about world events threatening lives in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Spending time outdoors is still a great way to deal with anxiety – especially with the warmer weather.
You’ll find a great list of hikes and walks in less crowded parks and open spaces on our Get out Spread out website.
Community
St. Patrick’s Day ParadeSat. March 12 9:30 – 1:30 PM
Pedalin’ St. Pats Bike Ride is back! The Family Ride will take place on Saturday, March 12, riders will ride in the Colorado Springs St. Patrick’s Day Parade (Wear your kilts and your super green tech shirt!), and ride back to Trails End.
The Intermediate and Challenging Rides will take place on Saturday, March 19, riders can choose between the Intermediate course (around 21 miles) and the Challenging course (just shy of 31 miles).
Runners, the annual 5k for St. Patrick’s Day is the flattest 5k in Colorado Springs!
Packet pick-up will be at the St. Patty’s Sports Expo, on Fri. March 11, 10:00 – 6:00 PM. Located in the ballroom of the Mining Exchange Hotel (8 S Nevada Ave, 80903)
More info and festivities available at csstpats.com
Mesa Open Space Trail Cleanup & BBQ
Sat. March 12, 10:00 – 2:00 PM
Join Medicine Wheel Trails Advocates and Organization of Westside Neighbors for a trash cleanup followed by a community BBQ! Come meet and socialize with your neighbors and share your ideas about how, together, we should care for this space we love. Please dress for the weather and bring your own work gloves. Plan to meet at the southern end of Mesa Open Space Trail, where Uintah Bluffs meets Manitou Blvd.
Please register here!
Kids’ Night Out: Full Moon Celebration
Fri. March 18, 5:30 – 9:00 PM
Caregivers, enjoy an evening to yourselves while your child spends an evening at Bear Creek. Full “Worm Moon” night hike, educational games, activities and a craft. Dinner included. $20 per child/$15 per member child
Recycling Survey Update
Recently the City’s Office of Innovation surveyed residents about recycling. Here’s what they learned
from the 928 responses:
- Top district participation, District 5, District 3 then District 1
- 89.12 percent state that recycling is important to them
- 87.82 percent state that they would support programs and services to improve our current waste and recycling system
- 91.57 percent would support programs and services to reduce litter
City staff will use the data and apply to the state for a city-wide waste and recycling assessment and action plan grant. The goal is to lower they city’s waste diversion rate.
Updates on the Colorado Legislative SessionHB22-1028: The Safety Stop bill passed the House Transportation and Local Government Committee on a bipartisan 9-4 vote on February 15 and passed its final hurdle on the House floor yesterday with a bipartisan vote of 44-20 in the bill’s favor. It now heads to the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. The Safety Stop bill treats stop signs as yield signs and stop lights as stop signs for non-motorized road users at intersections.
HB22-1104: The Powerline Trails bill was heard, and passed, by the House Transportation and Local Government Committee on February 16 by an 8-5 vote. It is now up to the full House to vote on the legislation before it goes to the Senate. The Powerline Trails bill would required transmission providers to notify local governments regarding the potential for trails when expanding transmission corridors.