The 3/7/23 City Council Meeting:
Over 80 residents took time to speak during public comment, with the large majority speaking in support of including a world-class bike park at the former Hughes Stadium property. This included at least 30 kids representing Ciclismo Racing, Send Town & the Wolf Pack, plus OMBA board members, Bike Fort Collins, Fort Collins Running Club, CSU Cycling Team, a few Nordic skiers, Your Group Ride & even Dude Dad and others!!!
Here is a link to watch – and it definitely is worth watching!
A few Highlighted points:
- Our community came together to pass this ballot initiative. Our community is engaged in this public process. Let’s work together, as a community, to create a world-class space that functions as a space for ALL of our community.
- We are NOT asking for the entirety of the 160-acre space to be turned into a bike park. 60-80 acres would be ideal, which still leaves nearly 2/3’s of the property for additional use. The property is large enough to accommodate many other interests and create a true multi-use community space.
- Making this entire property a Natural Area has serious opportunity costs in taking away funding for future of the Natural Areas Department. The price of $74,404 per acre is considerably higher than recent acquisitions including the new Bobcat expansion ($6,900/acre) and the Larimer County acquisition of Heaven’s Door Ranch ($5,800/acre), both of which are within 10 miles of the Hughes property.
- The impact of accessible recreative spaces on mental health is well-known. Currently, leaders in PSD, the City, County, and other organizations are convening to address mental health disparities among our youth. Nationwide, there’s discourse now about the loss of “third spaces” – or the free, community spaces available to people of all backgrounds. The redevelopment of Hughes into a bike park and with additional assets for other user groups is just that kind of third space we need desperately in our community.
- Many families choose to live in Fort Collins because of the opportunity to raise children in a community that values the outdoors and being active. A bicycle park would be a fun and safe place for kids and their friends to learn to love the outdoors, understand the importance of staying active, and to have a central location that already is connected to many of our most popular and easy to access trails.