Crown Hill Park

The Open Space Department has had an on-going, five-year program on making repairs and changes at Crown Hill Park. During the initial years of the program, the improvements were to the natural surface trails, where crusher fines were added to level the trails and make them more useable in wet weather. Beginning in 2013, the County Road & Bridge Department replaced many sections of the hard surface trails that needed repair or rerouting. Additional plans were to make a small area for handicapped parking and JCOS maintenance staff, replace the restrooms, replace the fitness equipment, replace the small gazebo north of the main parking lot with a larger shade structure north of the restroom, and add a nature play area east of the parking lot.

After a Community meeting in March and an online survey, it was determined that there was not enough support to add the nature play area. Construction will proceed in late summer on the parking lot addition and new restroom. The results of the on-line survey showed about 50% support for a shade structure and replacement of the fitness equipment.

A second community meeting was held April 30. Two alternates were proposed for the shade structure and the fitness equipment. Attendees were asked to rate the alternates and provide reasons for their choices. Although many of the 150 or so in attendance wanted nothing, it appeared that about 30% were in favor of an 8-foot-tall, semi-circular structure and about 40% were in favor of replacing four of the exercise stations with new equipment. A decision on the fitness equipment and shade structure has been made after review of all the comment sheets. The existing exercise stations will be removed, the existing shade structure will remain, and a new shade structure will not be erected. The water tap size will be increased from the present 1-inch to 1-1/2-inches to accommodate the new restroom and allow for more irrigation within the 1-acre surrounding the restroom.

Suggestions made during the public process will continue to be explored during the annual park management planning process, including:

Adding a berm along Kipling

Developing a program to manage pet waste

Addressing concerns about work quality on the recently completed trails

Adding blinds to the observation area in the wildlife sanctuary

Conducting more nature education programs and providing toolkits for families

Planting more trees (outside the one acre area)

Alternative exercise apparatus

Alternative ideas for shade

May 4 was the 3rd Annual “Spring into Service” project sponsored by the Colorado Mountain Club, REI, and Jeffco Open Space. About 220 volunteers participated in this project at Crown Hill Park. The service activities were maintenance-oriented: spreading and leveling crusher fines on about ¾ mile of natural surface trail; leveling the shoulders along the hard surface trail around the lake; preparing a number of social trails for revegetation and completing the revegetation on some. Trust that we have a cool and slightly moist May for the revegetation to take hold. It was nice to see a number of the “Friends of Crown Hill” participating – strengthening their love for this unique park.

For more information on Crown Hill Open Space Park and the on-going maintenance service schedule, go to http://jeffco.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R7.htm.

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Crown Hill Park