Due to the tireless efforts of Friends of Ute Valley Park and many others, both the Trails and Open Space Coalition (TOPS) and the Colorado Springs Parks and Rec Advisory Board have approved the purchase of 203 acres of Hewlett Packard corporate property adjacent to Ute Valley Park, to be added to Ute Valley Park. For a map showing the property in question, see above or click here to open a PDF version in a new tab.
Is this a done deal? Not quite yet! Next, City Council needs to vote to spend the TOPS money to purchase the property. This process begins with Council holding two public hearings on July 23 and August 13 to solicit citizen comments for and against the expenditure. Each citizen will have no more then 3 minutes to state their support of the city council’s approval of the purchase of this property for public use. We are asking as many people as possible to come to the City Council meeting to show their support of the purchase of this land using TOPS funds.
Some Background:
- The Trails, Open Space and Parks ordinance (TOPS) was approved by voters in April 1997 to generate funds through a percent of sales tax for Parks and Open Space acquisition, development, and preservation.
- When it became clear that HP would sell this land adjacent to Ute Valley Park the Friends of Ute Valley Park (FUVP) was formed to help advocate with our city Park & Rec for the purchase of this land.
- City Park & Rec, FUVP, and a number of other organizations and people have been working for more than a year through the details of making this land purchase from HP a reality.
- Because the Parks & Rec Advisory Board approved the use of TOPS money for the acquisition of this land, the next step is for City Council to vote to approve using TOPS funds for this open space purchase.
- FUVP has worked with our City Park & Rec to raise funds and volunteers to help improve Ute Valley Park in order to minimize the maintenance costs of Ute Valley Park and it’s future expansion.
You can find out more about FUVP and this subject by visiting FUVP on their website friendsofutevalleypark.com or like FUVP on Facebook.
Here is what you can do:
- Come show your support at 3:00PM, July 23rd at City Hall; your presence at this meeting will demonstrate to City Council how important this issue is to our community.
- When our 3 minute opportunity comes to speak, raise your hand and give the positive reasons why you want this land to become part of Ute Valley Park.
- As with every citizen the Friends of Ute Valley Park board members will be there to give our 3 minutes of reasons to purchase this land, come support us with your presence.
- Contact your local council person and tell them to use your tax dollars in TOPS to help purchase this land for the benefit of our community.