2011 Rec Master Plan – April 21, 2011

2011 Recreation Master Plan Presented

Leadville Herald Democrat
by Marcia Martinek Herald Editor
April 21, 2011

The 2011 Lake County Recreation Master Plan; due to be approved by the board of county commissioners this week, includes a step back on two projects and a step forward on another.

The recreation board recommended removing the Harrison Park development and the Lake County Public Gun Range from the 2011 plan.

“We have plenty on our plate,” explained Sterling Mudge of the recreation advisory board. These projects will be added back into the plan as the need arises, he said.

Commission Chair Carl Shaefer indicated that both projects need organizers to drive the project and money.

The Harrison Park project, which originally included irrigation, sod and lighting for the ball fields on Harrison Avenue, needs more analysis concerning costs and the needs of the neighborhood.

This decision to back off was made in view of the ongoing work on the Community Park and the Huck Finn redevelopment project.

As far as the gun range is concerned, the recreation board does not think the county should pursue a free public range without the analysis of the number of people who would use it and the costs to build and operate it, among other things.

New to the recreation master plan is the formation of a committee to research infrastructure development at Dutch Henry Sports Complex.

This project is moving forward because the recreation board wants to build on the new opportunities presenting themselves due to the work recently done at the facility, such as the improvements to the sledding hill.

The 2011 master plan includes the following prioritized initiatives:

1. Huck Finn Park
Its components include a multi-use park for skateboards, bicycles. roller blades, etc; two resurfaced tennis courts, a new restroom/maintenance building to serve the park and ice rink, and other improvements. In its second year of planning, the park committee is working to raise funds, recently receiving $15,000 from Colorado Mountain College student body.

2. Community Park landscaping
This includes finalizing erosion control, drainage and stabilization, plus adding boulders, swales, culverts, etc.

3. Motocross track
In the works for the past six years, the plan calls for completing the basic motocross track and infrastructure such as security fencing, parking area and portable toilets. Final construction could begin as early as fall 2011.

4. Trail-network development
The Cloud City Wheelers began the project last year and will continue this year developing the single-track trail network and planning for future expansion. Anyone wanting to join the work group should come to the Mineral Belt Trail and the dump road at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays.

5. Community Park steering committee
The master plan endorses the formation of this committee, in the fall 2010, to provide vision, guidance and direction for the park.

6. Dutch Henry Sports Complex
CMC has proposed constructing and maintaining a terrain park located between the sledding hill and the Cloud City Ski Club hill. The recreation master plan calls for the formation of a new committee to begin assessing the possibilities and challenges associated with the overall facility.

At Monday night’s BOCC meeting, Commissioner Mike Bordogna commented that the county has been praised for emphasizing both motorized and non-motorized recreation in its plans.

Mudge mentioned that the recreation committee is looking for new blood. It meets the third Thursday of the month.

Because Commissioner Dolores Semsack was absent from the Monday meeting, the commissioners decided to wait for her before taking the final vote on the plan, although both Bordogna and Schaefer indicated they favor it.