GMF Outside Health Fitness center Determination Looming

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Catamount Trail future in doubt

Rick Langenberg

Future outdoor fitness facilities and access to the area’s most popular hiking trails were in the spotlight at the Green Mountain Falls Board of Trustees meeting last week.

Despite a lucrative gift of US $ 200,000 to the city and the settlement of the bill for virtually all operating costs, the trustees have not approved an offer for an elaborate outdoor fitness center in the pool park area. Instead, a public workshop is planned for tonight (August 24th) at 7 p.m. in order to receive more public input on the project. The meeting is for a grant from the Kirkpatrick Family Fund to install the National Fitness Campaign-sponsored Keith Haring Fitness Court next to the tennis courts and keep it there for 20 years.

Additionally, in a move that surprised some, the city guides opted to keep the Catamount Trail closed indefinitely. Instead, they directed the local parks, recreation and hiking trails sub-committee to divert a section of the trail that conflicts with the rights of a private property owner onto GMF land. No schedule has been given as to when the entire trail, one of the most popular hiking trails in the region, will reopen.

These were the highlights of a fairly lively meeting that ended with a lengthy executive session on the Catamount Trail. The meeting even touched on the subject of licensing and taxation of future marijuana retail stores (see related story).

Fitness court dilemma

Plans for a huge, artistic fitness court in GMF have reportedly met opposition from city dwellers who have questioned all costs the government incurs to maintain it and how it would fit the look of the city. An earlier presentation by Jesse Stroope, a representative of the Kirkpatrick group, was received quite enthusiastically by the trustees.

But in recent weeks, the trustees admitted that many questions had arisen from citizens. “It’s a big commitment,” said trustee Katharine Guthrie of a 20 year plan change for the pool park. “I would like to get more feedback.”

Guthrie admitted that despite the impressive gift gesture, she and other trustees were bombarded with negative comments about the plan.

Last week, questions were asked about the relocation of the planned outdoor gym to a possibly different location on private property.

“We feel a little uncomfortable. We would like more public input, ”said Mayor Jane Newberry. “We mostly hear negative comments.”

Trustee Margaret Peterson agreed with these views and suggested setting up a public forum.

City guides may know which direction they are headed after today’s public gathering. The project was once discussed by the City of Manitou Springs, which decided not to fund the Fitness Court. This opened the door for the Kirkpatrick Family Fund group, which has supported many projects in GMF, including the upcoming James Turrell Skyspace installation

Stroope told trustees last week that funding for the grant would be a gift to the city. He stressed that this would be a great recreational benefit for GMF that would have essentially no cost to the local government. He named time as the main hurdle for the scholarship to move forward.

Some of the earlier concerns about additional maintenance costs were addressed at last week’s meeting to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees and the City Council. The main concerns now concern the impact on the parks and whether the project would fit in well with the character of GMF.

Also, some concerns have developed about the late Keith Haring’s use of graffiti art, a central part of the project.

This was the first time an offer from the Kirkpatrick Group had met so much resistance from local residents about any of their artistic / recreational offerings.

However, the trustees believe residents may not have a problem with the plan if given the opportunity to review the project in more detail.

Catamount Trail update

In other major leisure updates, following a board meeting last week, the GMF Board of Trustees instructed the Parks, Recreation, and Hiking Trails subcommittee to pursue the diversion of a controversial portion of the Catamount Trail to the Green Mountain Falls property. This area is at the center of a dispute with a private landowner, with the city government deciding to shut down until the matter is resolved.

In their announcement, the trustees expressed themselves verbally lively and criticized the actions of the former trail committee. “We need to address the ‘white elephant’ in the room,” Newberry said. “These are the previous actions of the (former) trails committee. That is why they were dissolved. You are no longer connected to the city. “

She cited five cases in which the former committee interfered with the rights of private property owners, the US Forest Service and the Colorado Springs Utilities, in its construction and other activities.

The mayor cited enormous costs in attempting to legalize the disputed Catamount Trail area. She also stated that the city guides have an ethical problem taking this action. “It’s pretty immoral if you harm your neighbor,” said the mayor.

In a later interview, Newberry believes the controversial trail area allegedly on the Catamount route between the Thomas and Bratton trail areas can be diverted to GMF land without too much of a problem. She has not given a timetable but believes that this is the first step that should be followed. As for the work of the former trail group, she acknowledged that part of the problem was due to “over-excitement” about certain trail projects that didn’t go through the right process. This opinion was highlighted at a meeting of the GMF trustee last spring in connection with Catamount’s current ownership dispute.

Rocco Blasi, the chairman of the former trail group, claims that the Catamount Trail was part of a large project with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado and was even funded somewhat by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO). He said the trail leading hikers to places like the Garden of Eden Meadow and Catamount Reservoirs was built over a five-year period and officially opened in 2001.

Blasi completely rejects the trustees’ stance and believes that they have taken residents and boy scouts by surprise with this action.

This point on the path built 20 years ago was emphasized by a local resident who turned quite passionately to the board of directors at the meeting last week.

“The road belongs to the city,” said the local resident, who called it tax irresponsible to keep the Catamount route closed.

The big question remains: when will the Catamount Trail reopen? There are alternative routes to reach the reservoirs, but many visitors have been amazed at the situation.

The Catamount Trail was originally built to avoid safety hazards that arose when people tried to reach the reservoirs by climbing Catamount Falls. This route, known as the Orange Dot Trail, often caused many accidents and falls.