There’s a lot of fanfare around grant awards, but what happens after the ceremonial checks are presented and the reporters have published their articles? Our partners get down to business.
For 26 years, GOCO has improved Colorado’s great outdoors with the help of Colorado Lottery proceeds. We’ve invested more than $1.2 billion in proceeds in 5,200 projects to improve the lives of Coloradans across the state.
After projects are awarded funding, grant recipients have about two years to make their projects happen. In October, nine projects closed, representing just over $2.2 million in GOCO investments in local communities across the state. Scroll to see if one’s near you:
Swanson Ranch - Southeast Colorado Prairie Canyonlands Conservation Project
$415,550 grant to Colorado Cattleman’s Agricultural Land Trust
In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, CCALT has placed a conservation easement on Swanson Ranch, productive ranchland and an important part of the agricultural landscape in Las Animas County. This property, which is part of a larger conservation project that also includes JE Canyon Ranch, protects threatened shortgrass prairie and helps link together more than 300,000 acres of conserved land.
Learn more about GOCO’s Protect Initiative
2017 Pickleball Court Project
$108,000 grant to City of Cortez
The 2017 pickleball court project helped Cortez replace a 25-year old tennis court in need of renovation with six pickleball courts. The pickleball courts provide a place for a growing program that has many senior participants and is becoming more popular with the community’s youth.
Find out more about the grand opening
Boulevard Addition Pedestrian Bridge
$197,225 grant to City of Trinidad
The City of Trinidad constructed a pedestrian bridge over the Purgatoire River where the existing River Walk passes under the I-25 overpass. Without the bridge in place, pedestrians would need to travel 1.4 miles on sidewalks in varying states of disrepair along busy Highway 12. In addition to providing direct pedestrian access to the park, the bridge will also be the first step in implementing the four-mile long Old Sopris Trail.
Check out other projects in Las Animas County
City of Fort Morgan Trail Master Plan
$97,986 grant to City of Fort Morgan
The City of Fort Morgan created a trail master plan with a heavy emphasis on developing a trail system within the 300-acre, GOCO-funded, Twamore Farm open space property. Twamore Farm sits on the north bank of the South Platte River and is adjacent to Riverside Park, connecting directly to Main Street. The plan also proposes ways to increase trail connectivity throughout the city.
Take a closer look at GOCO funding in Morgan County
Crawford Elementary School’s Community Playground Renovation Project
$110,000 grant to Adams County
Crawford Elementary partnered with Adams County to receive GOCO funds to replace an outdated playground that wasn’t age-appropriate. The updated playground includes a quarter-mile trail, natural climbing and balancing structures, new swings, an ADA ramp into the play pit, and an outdoor classroom.
Learn about one principal’s perspective on GOCO’s School Yard Initiative
Education Signs at Paonia River Park
$45,000 grant to the Town of Paonia
In partnership with the Western Slope Conservation Center, the Town of Paonia created an educational sign system at Paonia River Park. The system provides effective information and direction for visitors to find their ways to fishing, swimming, and hiking areas in and around the park, and encourages active learning experiences.
Discover more about Paonia River Park
Lake Minnequa Renovation Project
$72,000 grant to City of Pueblo
Pueblo’s Parks and Recreation department renovated an existing multi-use trail and surrounding infrastructure in the Lake Minnequa Veterans Memorial Park on the city’s south side. The work, completed in partnership with youth serving in the Mile High Youth Corps (MHYC), included trail repair and reconstruction, water diversion channel repair, and invasive plant and tree removal, improving outdoor recreation access.
Longview Corridor Trail
$999,550 grant to Larimer County
Larimer County partnered with the Cities of Fort Collins and Loveland to leverage GOCO funding for the Longview Corridor Trail. The 4.4-mile-long, 10-foot-wide concrete trail connects trail networks in Fort Collins and Loveland, passing through five open spaces and natural areas.
Check out the Longview Corridor Trail
Riverside Park Trail Restoration Project
$180,250 grant to City of Evans
The September 2013 floods caused over $25 million in damage to Evans. Riverside Park was completely submerged, with much of its three-mile trail system heavily impacted or completely destroyed. Following the flood, the city developed a thorough plan for park redevelopment and celebrated with a grand reopening in October.