Contact:
Todd Cohen, o: 303.226.4530 c: 303-503-9068, tcohen@goco.org, or
Laura Cardon, 303-226-4531, lcardon@goco.org

Counties:  Clear Creek, Denver, El Paso, and Mesa

DENVER – Great Outdoors Colorado’s new planning grants offer a window into the future for four communities in Denver, El Paso, Mesa and Clear Creek counties.

The GOCO board of trustees awarded $236,855 in grants to fund master plans for anticipated trails, open space, a park, and a rodeo arena. Recipients will leverage an additional $121,000 for the work. Such grants help local governments gather public input, evaluate conditions and develop long-term strategic master plans so that funds for outdoor recreation needs are used efficiently. 

Grant details:

CLEAR CREEK COUNTY: New trail segment around Georgetown Lake envisioned

The Town of Georgetown, in Clear Creek County, will use its $56,855 planning grant to finish the east side of the trail and a pedestrian bridge across the Georgetown Lake spillway. The lake is so popular that current use has outstripped the current access points. In addition to remedying overuse issues, the grant will provide wildlife viewing and environmental education opportunities, accessible pedestrian access, and public fishing access.

DENVER COUNTY: Dual track planned for Sand Creek Regional Trail

The city and county of Denver will receive a $75,000 planning grant for the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Trail project, a long-standing effort to build a fully off-road multi-use east-west regional trail in the North Denver Metro Area. The grant from GOCO will support an updated planning effort and development of construction documents which will provide significant improvements to both local and regional bicycle and pedestrian access and connectivity between cities, neighborhoods, parks and natural areas.

EL PASO COUNTY: Manitou Springs to look at future parks, trails, and open space

Manitou Springs, in El Paso County, will receive $75,000 to expand the City’s 17-year-old master plan to capitalize on the substantial open space acquisitions it has made in the last several years. The new plan will integrate parks and trails into the plan and guide the City’s management strategy for its abundant natural resources.

MESA COUNTY: Upgrade in the works for beloved but aging rodeo arena

Collbran, in Mesa County, will receive $30,000 to develop a master plan to refurbish its aging rodeo arena, which hosts a variety of youth recreation and education opportunities through 4-H, FFA, and equine events. Despite being a hub of activity for this Western Slope community, the arena was last upgraded in the 1980s and has limited ADA accessibility.

The grants were awarded at the board’s Dec. 9 meeting in Colorado Springs.

Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers and open spaces. GOCO’s independent board awards competitive grants to local governments and land trusts, and makes investments through Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Created when voters approved a Constitutional Amendment in 1992, GOCO has since funded more than 4,500 projects in urban and rural areas in all 64 counties without any tax dollar support. Visit goco.org for more information.

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