Celebrate Rocky Mountain National Park Centennial March 19.
EPC Fairgrounds Master Plan.
GoCoSprings app for reporting problems to the City.
Upcoming events.
NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 18, 2015
Candidate e-forum on TOSC website.
Conservation answers from Mayoral & Council candidates.
The Trails and Open Space Coalition in partnership with Catamount Institute, Livewell Colorado Springs, Colorado College Sustainability Department and Pikes Peak Sierra Club provided Mayoral and City Council Candidates a list of questions on topics important to the Conservation and Healthy Living Community. These candidates’ answers are your opportunity to become better educated and decide if your values and their priorities share common ground. Click here to view the e-forum.
The Trails and Open Space Coalition is a 501c3 nonprofit, and does not endorse candidates.
21st Annual Starlight Spectacular June 20th
The PIRATES are coming…
Registration is now open for the 21st Annual Starlight Spectacular, our night time bike ride through the city, starting and ending at the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. Mark your calendars for Saturday, June 20th, and start thinking about costumes–prizes for best costume, best group costume, and best illuminated bike. The theme this year is…PIRATES! Aaaargh!
For best value, register now, at the Earlybird pricing. For more information, visit www.StarlightSpectacular.org.
Learn more about proper trail construction and maintenance, how to lead a crew and make a contribution to local trails! Crew Leader Training will be held at the Bear Creek Nature Center April 17 (Friday evening), 18, and 19 (Sat and Sun). Training is free, but attendees must have participated in at least two trail work days to qualify, and must sign up for two additional mentoring days in order to complete certification. The goal is to graduate qualified crew leaders who will take charge of crews for work days during the year. The more crew leaders we have, the more work we can get done!
Go to www.coloradosprings.gov/volunteer. Use the calendar to search for the event date, then follow the instructions to sign up. You may be required to create a Volunteer Profile in the system.
Legacy Loop presentation March 18th.
Learn about future plans for COS trail connections!
Wednesday, March 18, 2015 | 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm El Pomar Foundation’s Penrose House, Penrose Pavilion, 1661 Mesa Avenue. Hors d’oeuvres and beer and wine will be served.
Learn about the project to connect the Greenway and Shooks Run trails in Colorado Springs to create a loop around much of the central city. This project has been in the works for decades, and Colorado Springs Parks has made it a priority project in their work plan for the year.
Featured speakers will be Jeff Shoemaker, The Greenway Foundation – Denver, Tatiana Bailey, Southern Colorado Economic Forum, and Chris Jenkins with Nor’wood Development Group.
Thursday, March 19, 7-8:30 pm, Library 21C, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive. Free admission; donations to the Sierra Club accepted.
Join the Pikes Peak Group of the Sierra Club in a program celebrating the Centennial of Rocky Mountain National Park with a one-man, first-person performance. Storyteller and award-winning author John Stansfield reenacts key moments in the life of Enos Mills and dramatizes his part in the creation of Rocky Mountain National Park. Following the program, the audience is invited to learn more about Mills in a question-and-answer session. From childhood on, Enos Mills (1870-1922) experienced a bond with mountains and wilderness, which inspired him to overcome personal hardship to become a successful speaker, writer, naturalist, and the driving force behind the birth of Rocky Mountain National Park, celebrating its centennial in 2015.
Master Plan for EPC Fairgrounds.
Survey link available until April 13.
El Paso County has started a master planning process for the County Fairgrounds and is seeking public input. If you live in El Paso County, please fill out the public survey at this link by April 13. More information about the Fairgrounds Master Plan update process is available on this website.
GoCoSprings App on iPhone or Android.
Use to report street, trail, park, water issues to City.
Bicyclists are telling us that excessive road debris is a big problem for commuting right now. We have a way for you to report that, and more. If you see rogue trails, illegal dumping, water wasting, street damage or other problems within the City limits, your best way to get that information to the right place is the GoCoSprings App, available on iPhone or Android. You can upload a photo and GPS coordinates, which will give the right department the information and start the process toward getting it fixed. More info at this link.
Upcoming Events
Save the dates.
County Parks Meeting for Eastern area Parks:
March 18 (Wed)–Informational meeting about Falcon Regional Park, Homestead Ranch Regional Park, Fairgrounds, Rock Island Regional Trail, Drake Lake and Paint Mines Interpretive Park. Wednesday, March 18th, 6pm in Swink Hall, El Paso County Fairgrounds, 366 10th Street, Calhan.
April 9 (Thurs), 7-8 pm. Black Forest Regional Park Community Meeting, The Lodge at Cathedral Pines. Enjoy light refreshments and get the latest updates on Parks projects. Learn about the forest management plan and priorities for restoration. Find out how you can help restore your Park!
City of Colorado Springs Meeting:
April 2 (Thurs), 5:30-8 pm. YourCOS. A non-political gathering to learn about day-to-day city operations. Hear from city staff and volunteers to learn about ways to get involved and understand the City’s efforts to improve our community. More information, registration and submit questions at this link.
April 12 (Sun) Save the date for a tune-up of the Goose Gossage Bike Park! We’ll report on more details as we get them, or check out their Facebook page.
April 25 (Sat), 9 am. Third Annual Tackle the Trash. El Paso County Parks’ annual cleanup. Seven sites all around the county, sign up at www.tacklethetrash.com.
El Paso County has started a master planning process for the County Fairgrounds and is seeking public input. If you live in El Paso County, please fill out the public survey at 
Bicyclists are telling us that excessive road debris is a big problem for commuting right now. We have a way for you to report that, and more. If you see rogue trails, illegal dumping, water wasting, street damage or other problems within the City limits, your best way to get that information to the right place is the GoCoSprings App, available on iPhone or Android. You can upload a photo and GPS coordinates, which will give the right department the information and start the process toward getting it fixed. More info at 
