Welcome to the SCRGP 2011 Winter Newsletter!

In this issue, you will find:

•The People Speak! Great Ideas for Trail Improvements on the Greenway

•What Trail Users Want to See...

•From the Executive Director: Thinking Ahead About a 10th Anniversary Year

Did you see us out on the trail this past summer, handing out water and energy bars? From June to September we carried out our first major survey of trail users, surveying both in-person and online to discover new priorities to make our Greenway an even more inviting destination this coming year.

What did we find out? Well, for starters, we have a lot of fans! Trail users called the SCRG a "gem", a "treasure", and an "amazing resource". Many commented on the tremendous future of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway to make more trail connections and attract trail users.

We also heard many suggestions from trail users for projects to make the Greenway safer and more accessible. We're lining up some significant projects this coming year to begin putting those features into place, starting with a trailhead upgrade and improvements to the surface all along the trail's 14-mile expanse.

Many users expressed the need for a paved trail in the Denver section. We're at work now, actively fundraising to create a double trail system along parts of the Denver trail- one paved trail for bike users and one soft-surface trail for hikers and horses. In addition to that major improvement, estimated at $1 million, we need to coordinate with other construction projects in the Stapleton area that involve the Greenway, including the replacement of the I-70 Bridge over Sand Creek, the building of the new FasTracks Line to DIA, Central Park Boulevard, and the extension of Martin Luther King Boulevard near Havana.

Trail users also want us to keep improving the surfaces of the existing trail. Please make sure we know about any areas where there is loose soil, deep sand, washouts, or other problems!

•A signature Denver park. Trail users want to see Westerly Creek North Park, located at the confluence of Sand Creek and Westerly Creek, built soon. In 2008, the community agreed to redirect $5.4 million from the park fund to build a new school in Stapleton. Within four to five years, money will become available to build the park.

• Improve trailheads. Trail users tell us they want an improved trailhead in Denver. We have plans to upgrade the Smith Road Trailhead in Denver in the summer of 2012- including renovating the parking area, installing a xeriscape demonstration garden, and improving signage in the area. Thanks to the Colorado Garden Show and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado for their help on this project!

•Build more trail connections. Improvements in Aurora and Commerce City are planned, including new trail connections, a priority for SCRGP's Board of Directors. Commerce City is looking at creative ways to make trail connections to the north. Denver is looking at a major trail link north to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and south toward Lowry. Aurora is looking at extending the Sand Creek Regional Greenway along streams to the east and south.

•Keep the Greenway clean. People love their Greenway and want to see it clean and well cared-for. SCRGP partnered with Stapleton residents (Westerly Creek), Bluff Lake Nature Center, and Denver Parks and Recreation last year on the very successful Neighborhood Partners Environmental Team. The group meets on the first Saturday of each month to pick up trash, cover graffiti, and perform basic trail maintenance, as well as improve the habitat by removing invasive weeds and planting native species such as cottonwoods and coyote willows. The Neighborhood Partners will start back up in spring, and more volunteer events are planned for all three cities in 2012.

•Increase signage and amenities. Navigating the Greenway is not always easy, especially during construction. SCRGP is raising money to install large kiosks with maps at every trailhead. We also want to install new wayfinding signage throughout the trail, particularly in detour areas. Adding educational signage to point out interesting areas along the trail is another priority.

A big thanks to everyone who took the time to talk to us on the trail or complete the electronic survey. This feedback will help us improve the Sand Creek Regional Greenway for years to come!

2011 Trail Users' Comments:

"I love the Greenway. It is nice to have a trail to walk or ride that is a little bit of nature in the middle of the city."

"The efforts from the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership will benefit the people who live and work in Commerce City for years to come."

"The Sand Creek Regional Greenway has tremendous and largely untapped potential."

"It is one of the best bike trails in the Denver area. We love it!"

"I live in Stapleton and it's so nice to have a running path so close to my house. my dog and I feel completely safe and every day is a new adventure..."

"Love it. An urban treasure that should be preserved."

"It's a terrific regional facility and should serve as a model for similar projects."

Thinking About a 10th Anniversary Year...

It's hard to imagine, but in 2012 we'll celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway's official opening! We're looking forward to that... and to your participation in our events!

In the mid-1990s, we started with no trail and with lots of badly needed environmental clean-up. Today we have 14 miles of beautiful greenway wrapped in a much greater expanse of native habitat. Our 10-year anniversary will be a time to celebrate all that our hardworking volunteers have done for us over the decade!

We hope to carry out one major construction project in each of our three partner cities in 2012. Stay tuned for information about trail links, upgraded trailheads, and new underpasses... and about opportunities to volunteer along the Greenway. We promise to keep the Greenway cleaner, build trails and trailheads, and have fun- all with your help!

Email us at info@sandcreekgreenway.org or fill out our volunteer form at www.sandcreekgreenway.org to be added to our volunteer list!

Kate Kramer
Executive Director

A Special Thanks
For "Helping Us Go Wild"...