Construction on The Yard has begun!
As you know, many months have passed since the site was reviewed and approved for construction. The land owner - the Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District - has been a tremendous partner and has supported the project since it was presented as a two-phase project (along with Smooth Criminal flow trail). With funding provided by the 1% for Trails initiative throughout 2020, combined with the tremendous fundraising contributions of our community during the Bucks for Hucks campaign, FAR was able to purchase the features and move the project forward.
Terra Firma Trails was able to rough cut the trail lines in late March. Following pre-determined lines, they initiated both the easier and intermediate trails.
With that work done, the next step was to place the fabricated features. Progressive Bike Ramps delivered features on Monday, March 29th - ahead of schedule! Many of them came in parts, and the crew was able to install 4 of the 8 features by the end of the day. The bigger, heavier features (the ramps) posed a bit more of a challenge. The PBR and Terra Firma Trails crews worked to place all of the features with precision. Features vary in size and skill type. The City of Canon City's Park Department also brought in several load of fill dirt to give trailbuilders material to fill in and around the features.
Once the features are installed, additional work will be done to complete the features. Please be sure to stay off the trails and features until the park is officially open.
As you know, many months have passed since the site was reviewed and approved for construction. The land owner - the Cañon City Area Recreation and Park District - has been a tremendous partner and has supported the project since it was presented as a two-phase project (along with Smooth Criminal flow trail). With funding provided by the 1% for Trails initiative throughout 2020, combined with the tremendous fundraising contributions of our community during the Bucks for Hucks campaign, FAR was able to purchase the features and move the project forward.
Terra Firma Trails was able to rough cut the trail lines in late March. Following pre-determined lines, they initiated both the easier and intermediate trails.
With that work done, the next step was to place the fabricated features. Progressive Bike Ramps delivered features on Monday, March 29th - ahead of schedule! Many of them came in parts, and the crew was able to install 4 of the 8 features by the end of the day. The bigger, heavier features (the ramps) posed a bit more of a challenge. The PBR and Terra Firma Trails crews worked to place all of the features with precision. Features vary in size and skill type. The City of Canon City's Park Department also brought in several load of fill dirt to give trailbuilders material to fill in and around the features.
Once the features are installed, additional work will be done to complete the features. Please be sure to stay off the trails and features until the park is officially open.
Finishing construction will take a few more weeks. Please allow crews to work as they finish up. We'll keep you posted regarding opening dates and progress.
We understand that there are some concerns regarding ecology of the area, and we'd like to explain why this particular location was selected for the bike park:
- Drainage - Historic drainage / erosion issues in the area (some tied to mining activity) required remediation, so our design seeks to assist that issue while also creating trails.
- Connectivity - The Eagle Wing Trailhead connects to the Riverwalk, which allows for easy access for kids and families from town and also to local parks. It also connects to the South Cañon trail system, which allows users to continue their ride or allow families to use this area as a 'base camp' for a day's outing.
- Historic Use - There are already a plethora of mine tailings, ranching equipment, old landfill issues, dams, etc. in the area and is not a "pristine" environment.
- Proximity - Kids need amenities that are in-town, and this is a great urban-access location that will allow kids to access the park without riding along busy roads. The skate park at Mountain view is a good example - it is much too far from downtown to be of use to children who do not have a ride out of town.
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