Trail Fight Persists Over CSU Proposed Closure Action
Rick Langenberg
If you want to enjoy the historic and folksy, outdoor Green Mountain Falls pool for a final lap this summer, the clock is ticking.
In lively meeting on July 7, the GMF Trustees set the stage for closing its current swimming pool facility, the sole outdoor aqua hub in the Ute Pass. Moreover, the GMF pool is one of the oldest outdoor swimming facilities in Colorado, serving the region since the 1940s.
In turn, leaders want to pursue a new multi-million-dollar aqua project that could become the centerpiece of its Gazebo Lake Park expansion and offer more modern amenities.
In a rather skeptical review of the current pool facility, GMF Mayor Todd Dixon indicated that the historic facility has reached its final season as a viable pool. He cited a slew of deteriorating conditions.
“We are losing 1,000 gallons of water a day. It needs an excavator,” said the mayor, who has been strongly involved in the regular maintenance operations at the popular facility.
Ultimately, the mayor, several trustees and town officials noted that the town badly needs a new pool. “We need a full replacement,” stressed Dixon.
Trustee Brandy Moralez went further and classified continual efforts to repair the pool as “putting lipstick on a pig.”
Several years ago, the town underwent major maintenance efforts to get the pool facility operational, an effort partially spearheaded by former Trustee Don Walker.
But in recent months, town officials have hit a wall with the amount of work involved in keeping an antiquated facility operational. The pool’s opening this year was delayed due to ongoing maintenance woes.
At last week’s meeting, the trustees favored getting a design bid for what it would take to construct a new municipal pool facility. The question of funding, though, wasn’t really discussed.
Under one possibility, the pool could become the centerpiece of its Gazebo Lake Park improvement project, which could make it eligible for funds from Great Outdoors Colorado.
City Manager Caleb Patterson said he would research a variety of possibilities and would contact officials from Canon City, which is currently pursuing a pool project. “I want to see what options are available before pulling the trigger,” said Patterson.
Although the town is not ready to release any numbers, Patterson indicated it would cost at least several million for a small municipal pool with a few modern amenities, such as a hot tub.
Based on the experience endured by the city of Woodland Park which developed a full-fledged indoor aqua center nearly a decade ago, a project of this caliber can get expensive.
But through the remainder of the summer, the current pool will remain open through August. City officials confirmed that their revenue numbers at the pool are quite bullish.
In recent years, leaders have mulled different uses for this site. But any attempt to axe the outdoor pool has been met with strong opposition locally. The fact that this facility is located outside is a big plus, and a factor making it quite popular with local residents and visitors.
One possible funding option could include using some funds from a proposed sales tax hike that voters will decide on this November.
Trail Wars Continue
Besides outdoor pool facilities, Green Mountain Falls’ leaders are also quite passionate about trails in their backyard.
At last week’s meeting, a hefty debate ensued over efforts by Colorado Springs Utilities to close one of the town’s premiere, advanced trail routes, known as the Crystal Trail or Crystal Creek, which extends to the North Slope reservoir off Pikes Peak. It is extremely popular with advanced hikers.
CSU wants to shut down the trail to help facilitate a forthcoming infrastructure project in GMF. In turn, CSU would put more trail enhancement effort into the popular Catamount Trail.
Dixon favors the deal, as do a few other trustees, citing the popularity of the Catamount route. With this option, he believes the Catamount Trail could become one of the premiere routes accessing the Ring the Peak network, with trails extending for close to 100 miles and encompassing a variety of counties.
But GMF Planning Commission Roco Blasi continues to raise a red flag about this proposal and has received support in opposing the Crystal Trail closure from the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance group.
Blasi favors having a joint site visit of the Crystal Trail by a variety of entities to understand why CSU wants to close the hiking route.
Dixon said he would make this request, but indicated CSU is pretty firm in its intention to close the trail to facilitate a key expansion project. “No, is the only answer we are getting from them,” said the mayor.
“I hate the fact that we are going to lose a trail,” said Moralez. “I love to hike. This is why I moved to Green Mountain Falls.”
As another suggestion, she proposed seeing if CSU could reopen the Crystal Trail after it completes its infrastructure project.
Jay Kita, a leader of the town’s parks, recreation and trails committee, threw another wrench into the debate when he urged the town to keep up the fight for the sake of future trail enhancement in the region. “If we rollover….they (CSU) will close Ring the Peak.” said Kita.
