TOPS (Trails, Open Space and Parks) is a city program first passed by voters in April of 1997. It is administered by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department of Colorado Springs with oversight from the TOPS Working Committee. The Working Committee is made up of city residents appointed to monitor the TOPS budget, proposed purchases and projects, and make sure TOPS dollars are spent as voters intended. The TOPS .01% sales tax provides funding for the acquisition, development and preservation of trails, open space and parks. More information on the TOPS program, including how residents can apply for TOPS funding to purchase open space is available at the city’s TOPS web page.
Colorado Springs’ TOPS program has preserved over 6200 acres of open space in the Pikes Peak region over the past 20 years. It has built more than 32 parks and constructed close to 50 miles of urban trails. The TOPS sales tax generates approximately $9 million annually and is leveraged through grants and private funds. The 2014 Colorado Springs Parks Master Plan helps determine where land is to be purchased and preserved and where trails and parks are to be constructed.
The TOPS program is essentially a three-step decision-making process: study and recommendation from parks staff in partnership with the TOPS Working Committee, approval by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and final approval by the City Council. Applications for TOPS funding may be submitted by individual members of the public, property owners, organizations, TOPS Working Committee members, the Parks and Recreation Department and other agencies. All requests must be submitted using the TOPS Application. Applications are reviewed by the Parks and Recreation staff and then provided to the TOPS Working Committee.
Without the TOPS program some of our most favorite parks, trails and open spaces would not exist. Stratton Open Space was one of the first properties to be preserved. Followed by Blodgett and Red Rock Canyon Open Space. All three were targets for local development. The commercial vision for Red Rock Canyon was a private golf course and townhouses. Voters instead approved an extension of the TOPS program in 2003 through 2025 providing funds for the purchase of the 789 acres that is now Red Rock Canyon Open Space and eventually the property used to create Cheyenne Mountain State Park. Below you will find a list of parks, trails and open spaces purchased and constructed using TOPS dollars.
TOPS Designated Properties
Bluestem Prairie Open Space
Corral Bluffs Open Space
High Chaparral Open Space
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
Stratton Open Space
Union Meadows Open Space
TOPS funding also contributed to portions of these properties:
America the Beautiful Park
Austin Bluffs Open Space
Bear Creek Trail
Blodgett Peak Open Space
Buckskin Charlie Park
Chamberlain Trail
Coleman Park
Cottonwood Creek Trail
Deerfield Hills Community Center
Dr. Frank Houck Park
El Pomar Youth Sports Complex
Eugene McCleary Park
Frank Castello Park
Foothills Trail
Garden of the Gods Park
Gold Camp Park
Gossage Youth Sports Complex
High Meadows Park
Horace Shelby Park
Homestead Trail
Iron Mountain
Jack Templeton Park
James Smith Sr. Park
John Stone Park
John Venezia Park
Judge Lunt Park
Kathleen Marriage Park
Ken Jordan Park
La Foret Trail
Laura Gilpin Park
Marshall Sprague Park
Memorial Park
Manitou Incline
Midland Trail
North Cheyenne Canyon
Pikes Peak Greenway
Pikeview Reservoir
Powers Trail
Prairie Grass Park
Pring Ranch Park
Rock Island Trail
Rockrimmon Trail
Roy Benavidez Park
Sand Creek Trail
Shooks Run Trail
Sinton Trail
Skyline Trail
Snowy River Park
Soaring Eagles Park
Springs Ranch Park
Stetson Park
Stetson Trail
Ute Valley Park
West Creek Park
Wildflower Park
Wilson Ranch Park
Woodmen Trail
For every $10 of sales tax collected Colorado Springs, only 1¢ goes towards TOPS. We have one of the lowest TOPS tax in the front range; Denver collects 25¢ for it’s parks and trails. The Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOSC) is spearheading the campaign to not only renew TOPS in Colorado Springs, but to increase it. Our outdoor spaces are important and it costs money to create and maintain trails and open space. We want your 2¢. Pennies for parks, small change for big gains! TOSC is working hard to put this initiative on the ballet, fall of 2021. We hope you will stand with us and vote to support funding for trails, open space and parks.
