COLORADO SPRINGS – The City of Colorado Springs is working on finding a way to preserve Austin Bluffs Open Space for years to come.
It’s part of a master plan which includes Pulpit Rock Regional Park, University Park Open Space as well.
It would be a guideline for the city to follow for the next ten to 15 years.
The city wants to create more defined trails so people will actually stay on them.
“[We want to make a] more sustainable trail system, what’s back there now is a network of rogue trails that really have never been planned in an appropriate, professional manner, said David Deitemeyer, the project’s manager and the Senior Landscape Architect for the City of Colorado Springs.
Hikers have seen those rogue trails up close.
“I have a lot of ones that people just seem to improvise on that are nothing but loose dirt,” said hiker Samuel Woods.
The city also wants to create better access points.
But hikers have mixed feelings.
“It’s part of what makes [trails] special, they’re all kind of hidden away,” said another hiker, Shane Cusack.
“You don’t want to deny people access but you also don’t want erosion to become too big of an issue,” added Woods.
For now, the city wants to know which improvements you want to see.
There’s a survey on the city’s website where you can submit your feedback. You can find it here.
You can also print out the survey here and drop it off or mail it.
The city will be accepting feedback through May 15.
“If there’s an opportunity that you have in mind for a new trail, new access, that survey will be available for folks to pinpoint that on a map and tell us where it should go,” Deitemeyer pointed out.
The city wants to give these spaces a chance to stand the test of time so everyone can continue to “Get out and enjoy the trails,” as Cusack put it.
