EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY TRAILS, OPEN SPACE & RIVER CORRIDOR MASTER PLAN April 2015 Prepared by DHM Design Corporation “Trails have multiple values and their benefits reach far beyond recreation. Trails can enrich the quality of life for individuals, make communities more livable, and protect, nurture, and showcase America’s grandeur by traversing areas of natural beauty, distinctive geography, historic significance, and ecological diversity. Trails are important for the nation’s health, economy, resource protection and education.” –AMERICAN TRAILS, Trails for All Americans report, 1990 Acknowledgements The partners and the planning team acknowledge and thank the following individuals and organizations for their participation and assistance with this plan: Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District Jim Hoar – Executive Director Fremont County Tim Payne – County Commissioner, District 1 City of Cañon City Doug Dotson – City Administrator Rex Brady – Director of Parks and Facilities Adam Lancaster – City Engineer City of Florence Mike Patterson – City Manager Wade Broadhead – City Planner Charlette Henager – Florence City Council WKRP (Whitewater Kayak and Recreation Park) Warren Hart – Whitewater Kayak Recreation Park Will Colon – Whitewater Kayak Recreation Park FAR (Fremont Adventure Recreation) Brian Ledoux - FAR / LAMBA The Technical Working Group – Support & Advice During Planning Process Stew Pappenfort – Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Warren Hart – Whitewater Kayak Recreation Park Will Colon – Whitewater Kayak Recreation Park Rex Brady – Director of Parks and Facilities Adam Lancaster – City Engineer Ken Berger – Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District Jim Hoar – Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District Tim Payne – County Commissioner, District 1 Mike Smith – Citizen Representative Kalem Lenard – Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District / BLM Doug Dotson – City Administrator Mike Patterson – City Manager Charlette Henager – Florence City Council Wade Broadhead – City Planner Rob White – Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area Kristen Econome – FAR / LAMBA Brian Ledoux - FAR / LAMBA Scott Eckstrom – Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District / City Council Mike Pielow – City of Cañon City Paul Trentzsch – Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District Dawn Green - Finance Director Darrell Deling - Parks Supervisor Consultant Team Bill Neumann – DHM Design Matthew Whipple – DHM Design Rick McLaughlin – McLaughlin Whitewater This plan was made possible by a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado Table of Contents Acknowledgements Chapter One – Introduction Mission Statement ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................3 Purpose of this Document and Background ......................................................................................................................................................................3 Study Area and Existing Condition ............................................................................................................................................................................................6 Planning Elements ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................9 Planning Process and Community Engagement .............................................................................................................................................................9 Chapter Two – Guiding Principles and Components Guiding Principles ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 Trail Types, Components and Cross Sections ......................................................................................................................................................................16 Chapter Three – Recommended Improvements, Layout, and Alignment Recommended Improvements - An Overview .................................................................................................................................................................33 Recommended Layouts and Alignments .............................................................................................................................................................................36 Chapter Four – Vision to Reality: Implementation Key Implementation Considerations .......................................................................................................................................................................................54 Leadership ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54 Roster of Projects ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................55 Potential Funding Sources ............................................................................................................................................................................................................77 Building and Maintaining Community Support ...............................................................................................................................................................77 Management Considerations .......................................................................................................................................................................................................78 Next Steps .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................78 Appendix 1. In-River Improvements ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................81 2. Project Area Maps ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................108 CHAPTER ONE: Introduction Mission Statement Purpose of this Document Study Area and Existing Conditions Planning Elements Planning Process and Community Engagement EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY TRAILS, OPEN SPACE & RIVER CORRIDOR MASTER PLAN CHAPTER ONE Mission Statement Create a visionary and realizable master plan for a wide range of recreational opportunities and resource conservation throughout Eastern Fremont County. This plan should clearly articulate a future and legacy for the river corridor, trails, and associated open space areas. Purpose of this Document This document puts forth a master plan for the Arkansas River - It will increase property values for adjoining properties, Corridor, surrounding trail systems and open space areas within promote business development and enhancement and assist Eastern Fremont County. The plan includes specific feasible Eastern Fremont County in attracting visitors and relevancy alignments for trails, identifies open spaces for conservation, as a mountain town destination. identifies opportunities and constraints within the study area, cost estimates and phasing suggestions suitable for raising - It will promote better community health through fitness and funds and support for future implementation. regular physical activity. It is intended to guide, step-by-step, the creation of a trail and - This plan also proposes to promote (through increased “greenway” network along the 16-mile river corridor between public awareness and cooperative planning with adjacent the Royal Gorge and the Blue Heron Park, just east of the City landowners) the stewardship, clean-up and enhancement of of Florence, along with connections and a network of trails the river corridor environment, especially the scenic character, through the open spaces and developed areas of Eastern as well as the flora, fauna, and habitat values. Fremont County. Destinations will include the Royal Gorge, Centennial Park, John Griffith Park, Pathfinder Park, Florence The vision for the Eastern Fremont County Trails, Open Space River Park, the downtown business areas in Cañon City and and River Corridor Master Plan grew out of a coordinated Florence, the “Coal Towns”, Dawson Ranch, and the hogbacks. effort by Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District, It also strives to access scenic and more rural agricultural areas Fremont County, the cities of Cañon City and Florence, towns proximate to the river corridor. of Brookside, Williamsburg, Rockvale, and Coalcreek, community members and activists. The master plan was previously outlined With its ability to provide communal access to vital locales, in 1997 and a number of the parts of that plan have