OLD COLORADO CITY – The importance of community participation will be on display at a paint project happening this weekend at Cucharras Park in Colorado Springs. “This all got started because there was no shooting squares on the backboards and I thought I would come down and paint some myself,” said Westside Resident, Tim Tackett. His desire to paint lines on backboards has blossomed into a more extensive project.
Tacket also works on the westside in Old Colorado City as a bartender. A place where Sara Vaas with the Organization of Westside Neighbors (OWN) heard him talking about what he wanted to do. “I kind of just made a few phone calls and connected the dots and brought it back to Tim to say we can actually make something really cool happen,” Said Vass. Along with OWN, she also work with the Council of Neighbors and Organizations (CONO). It is a network that associates with Colorado Springs Parks.
Colorado Springs Parks maintenance crews have a wait list of projects. They are also willing to partner with citizens willing to take on appropriate projects. “We are very happy to sit and talk with those folks and see how we can supply them, to make their thoughts and creativity come to life,” said Scott Abbott with Colorado Springs Parks. In this case, parks okayed a plan and provided supplies.
Tackett and Vass rallied friends and neighbors of the park to help with the work. The whole basketball court gets a refresh. “We’re going to do a really cool Colorado flag kind of C on the center court here and I’m a huge Nuggets fan, so we’re going to do Denver Nuggets colors,” said Tackett.
“I think it’s really important for neighbors to understand that we can be part of a solution,” said Vaas. The Saturday June 7th project has grown to more of a paint party. A local band offered to play and a couple of food trucks will set-up at the park’s edge. The event is scheduled from 10:30 am to 1:00 pm. Anyone is welcome to take part.
