General Comments
We welcome your comments on any and all aspects of the Clear Creek Corridor Master Plan. If what you have to share does not fit into any of the categories at the right, please feel free to leave your comment here or you can email us directly. You can respond to others’ comments publicly or by email to us. Thank you for your participation in this important project.
The Pueblo, CO. river project was nicely done. I would think some of their ideas could be included in this plan. If no one has seen it, it would be worth the trip.
The bike/walking path should have a line down the middle. Often walkers in a group feel they are entitled to the whole walk. The same is true of kayakers who like to walk two abreast carrying their kayaks and taking up the whole walkway.
Need speed limit signs on the path for bicyclists. Often they’re going 20 mph & more.
Jerry Fricke
I think that there is a missing element in the current process. There should be a formal goal and an on-going long-term process for working with other landowners toward extending the Corridor both upstream and downstream from the current boundaries. (Jeffco, Clear Creek County, National Forest Service, to the west, Coors, Jeffco, Wheat Ridge and ??? to the east.)
Even if it constricts in places to a narrow strip along a path, there should be a perception of a continuous public Corridor from the headwaters of at least two branches of Clear Creek down to the South Platte River.
This can’t happen quickly – but it won’t happen at all unless there is a conscious and ongoing push to make it happen. Golden would be a small part of the whole, but could be a key catalyst and major beneficiary.
Great work Golden! We can’t wait to see the results. I’d like to comment that Dave Damouth’s comment of March 29th is a great one. Perhaps Golden’s CC Master Plan can be the start of an entire watershed plan! Thanks!
I think you should add a statement to the goals about complying with law, regulation, policy, codes, but that you will pursue changes to roadblocks where possible, but especially for local regulations, codes, and policies.
Obviously, laws and such have to be complied with, but sometimes we are to quick to cite laws being prohibitive when they aren’t. So we need to be careful of excuses and we should pursue change if needed and where possible.
We’ve been in Golden for 4 years and it’s very exciting to see the efforts made to improve the areas surrounding and connecting to downtown for pedestrians and bike riders. There are a lot of ideas being considered that make a lot of sense. One feature that seems to be missing at one of the parks is a water feature that is aesthetically pleasing, safe and fun for the kids (young and old) to play in. We love sitting by the creek but in the summers it becomes less and less safe for the little ones to get in the water and I see that feature being such an asset for one of our parks. Golden has a nice sense of community. I feel this feature would strengthen it further. I realize that this brings up the concern for water conservation but we have a lot of future engineers in town that may be able to figure out the best water saving way to design this water feature!!
I also see the benefit of having a cafe/coffee or icecream shop along the creek on 10th. Our family wishes the little restaurant behind the pioneer museum was open more often and all weekend for that reason. I’ve also heard rumor of the creek path extending up Clear Creek Canyon. Any timeline or truth to that project in the future??
We have lovely park areas in Golden, and many many events that use these spaces. There is incredible damage to Parfet Park with moving stages in and out……….hence, the building of an amphitheatre/bandshell/performance stage in the SE corner of that park would be a great thing for many future events! We spent about $25k on plans, I believe, that could be used in planning this, and perhaps, we could engage folks to build it for less than the projections, or, in this down economic time, we might be able to do it!
Granted, some events might have to re-think the format of the park use for their events, but that seems minor compared to the benefits.
Some ideas:
weddings, short plays, more music in the park, movies could benefit by a screen that is within the structure, so won’t need to be quite so late at night, more symphony, more dance programs, better seating with ‘John Denver Aspen’ type terracing………….
I’d echo Jaime C.’s comments about a water feature and really support her comment about considering commercial enterprise along the park. Places for ice cream vendors, beverage vendors, and light dining (e.g. hot dog stands) would add a nice feel to this great area.
Also, Councillor Oxman’s comments about an amphitheatre could be tied to comments on the Creek topic/posting thread about providing infrastructure for large, organized kayak competitions. Perhaps the two could be tied together and we could have an Amphibiantheatre? I’m only half joking. I.e. the abilty to get double-duty from structures for large crowds would be ideal if somebody has a viable proposal. Just a thought.
I certainly echo Karen’s comments. As Chairman of the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra, such a structure will allow the JSO to play more often in the park and for other groups, including choral and dance bands to have an opportunity to provide live performances.
As a member of the Jefferson Symphony Orchestra (JSO) Board of Directors, my personal opnion of the construction of an ampitheatre/bandshell/performance stage as suggested by Karen Oxman, is that this would certainly enchance Parfet Park as a better venue for the JSO. I would hope that the expertise of the orchestra staff and performers can be tapped during the planning process in order to produce a facility that could enhance the already great music of the JSO.
Keep: RV Park, Community Garden, Playground, Tennis Courts, CCHP, City Hall, Library, GPD, and GFD
Remove: The POND!!!! replace with a splash pad, ballfields can go
Build: Amphitheatre in SE corner of Parfet Park (refer to bandshell notebook!), Splash pad in Lions park in place of the pond, a dog park on the east edge of Vanover, terrace areas of creekside for meditation and resting
Move: the History Center to the area west of CCHP, with parking and restrooms for both…..(the old History Center would become an expansion of City Hall offices)
Traffic routing: no to 9th St……..’pretty up’ 8th and 10th, and open the connection on the west end so there is a circular option, move 10th away from the creek along the park, widen the trails and use ‘color’ to denote user space………………DO NOT LIMIT EITHER TRAIL USERS…..move Kayakers to the south side, if possible
Reaffirm my previous comments and those of others of at least extending the park upstream to the our water source inlet since I believe we have (at least) an easement along the canal that delivers our drink water from the inlet up stream to the storage pond. Furthermore there is the new bridge upstream a ways….
I support Jim Dale’s comment about extending the park upstream (while keeping it natural and unpaved.)
While I love the CCHP, I’m just not convinced in belongs on one of the most prime pieces of property in the city. I’d love to see it moved to a larger property, possibly with additional buildings and features, such as more livestock like horses and cows.
I’d also remove the RV park and the pond.
I’d like to see a climbing wall added somewhere, like the one at the Salida riverfront park–great for little kids and adult climbers improving their skills.
As Australians, we love to travel throughout the United States and experience what this great country has to offer. One of our most memorable stays was at the RV Park in Golden. It was so enjoyable that we kept extending our stay, utilising the services of Golden, including the recreation parks, library, shopping, etc. Please do not close the RV Park! That would be a great pity as it gives people from all over the world a chance to live, love and play in Golden, Colorado!
As a dog lover I am always looking for a place to take my dog during the summer. Golden is a wonderful area to recreate with my dog while hiking, biking etc, but I would love an area to allow my dog to play in the water off leash.
Vanover park looks to be a fantastic location for an off leash park:
1. It has great access to the water with low water levels and current.
2. It would only require a small amount of fencing with gated access on two sides.
3. It is a relatively under-utilized park.
4. The concrete walkway already in place would be great for some picnic tables for the humans.
5. Parking lot is already in place.
6. It would help to spread the mass of people out away from Lions.
7. It would give us a LEGAL place to let our dogs excercise.
Golden is very dog friendly already and this would add to our enjoyment in the downtown/creek corridor. I would be more then willing to even pay an entry fee if I could relax with my dog and allow him to swim legally. What do you think??
My husband and I are very sorry to hear that there may be interest in moving the RV park to another location! We visited the park several years ago while visiting our children living in the Denver area. We fell in love with Golden and bought a condo at Millstone a week after arrivng! We have met several other people in our condos who did the same thing! Had it not been for the park, we probaby wouldn’t be here! I understand that there are a number of others who have bought houses after staying in the park! We are residents of Florida and have told many other RVers about the park. Several have stayed and loved it as well. The main draw to the park is location! One can walk everywhere! I havent found any RVers who have come up with a park anywhere as convenient as this one! We had some problems with the RV while here and were able to buy all the parts we needed at the hardware store. We enjoyed the rec center across the street and the library a five minute walk! We enjoyed all the restaurants and shops being so close to the park! Please reconsider your plan!!
Robbin Seal
Kudos for working on this corridor — it is the *the* amenity for Golden. It’s where the community gathers, where visitors want to go, and Clear Creek itself can’t be replicated anywhere else. I agree with many of the comments above, especially the idea of extending the planning study area as far upstream and downstream as possible. Would be great to see the park or trail corridor continue downstream of Vanover through and past the Coors property, to connect with the north and south mesas once through the notch (e.g., the new bike park at the SE base of N. Table Mountain).
A creekside connection between Parfet and Vanover would be great. That block of multifamily and office in between these two parks seems like a prime refill spot over the next 5-10 years. Would look very carefully about what uses we need most there: more multi-family, more commercial, more civic/public spaces? I don’t have a good enough handle on the most recent jobs/housing data to comment, but I know that once it redevelops we’ll be stuck with whatever goes in for decades.
I’d also concentrate on tightly connecting up the creek corridor circulation and uses with all the ballfields at the SW corner of the current plan area. Sidewalks, picnic tables, signage, trail markings for boaters/bikers/walkers to ensure smooth traffic flow, the whole bit.
The muni water supply pond and surrounding area has an industrial feel right now — any chance of moving the pond somewhere else or otherwise improving that space, perhaps for wildlife and their watchers?
No strong feelings about the RV park. Seems like it gets people walking or biking around the creek and downtown, which is hard to overvalue. And having folks moving in and around the creek all hours of the day and night I imagine helps makes the creek corridor a bit safer. So long as the park stays as clean and neat as it is now, it seems more like it should be an area of stability not an area of change, in terms of priorities.
Parking is important, but over time it’d be great to see the big open space by the library used more efficiently (underground or stacked parking?). Wouldn’t want to lose the farmers market, but it’s only there a few hours a week in the summer.
Love the idea of a swimming dog park at Vanover.
Encourage watchable wildlife stations at the water dept. pond
I echo Jamie S. and Ben D.s comments above.
The second plan presented the other evening was probably the best fit for what appeals to most people. The only suggestions I have are that the dog park from plan one should be added to plan two rather than having it near the 11th street neighborhood. Also the skate park is necessary because community kids are skating in downtown anyway and taking over the trails. So if you could move the library location and keep a skate park in an area where bright lights and activity are already taking place then no neighbors would be effected. I know that it’s hard to make everyone happy, But thanks for the attempt!
I understand you are considering moving the garden plot that is currently on 8th street in Golden, CO. I live at Golden Gate Apts which is right next to the garden plot. If it is moved I will no longer be able to utilize a plot. So I am requesting you keep the plot at its current location.
I would love to see Vanover Park be turned in to an off leash park. I specify off leash instead of dog park because I don’t want to see it turn into a smelly, chain link fenced enclosure where dogs can play with each other and not get much exercise. It’s a great place for dogs because there’s room for dogs to run around and swim in clear creek. The creek is wider in this section so it moves a little slower than upstream, with some deep sections. It’s downstream from town so the dogs playing in the water should not effect recreationalists. Right now there’s plenty dogs off leash playing there with no problems. Maybe if it could be fenced on the street side with a nice looking fence to keep dogs off Ford street. It would be nice to turn it into an off leash park but still keep it as unchanged as possible. Thanks!
I have lived in Golden for 20 years. Over the years, the city has done an very good job at making compromises — some of the GURA projects downtown have taken getting used to. However, I would be sorely disappointed to see open space/park space turned into a skate park downtown, unless it is situated such that creek/park access is not denied and some of the current amenities remain. I would like to make a few suggestions:
Keep the community gardens — they will only continue to blossom and attract visitors to the west end of the clear creek corridor.
Fill in the pond — switch the parking lot next to lions park and clear creek with the pond, with access to the rec center parking lots going further north so that families, visitors and kayakers have a larger greenbelt (essentially deadend 10th at Maple and feed up to 9th and parking around the rec center). This would facilitate a future move of the City buildings either to 8th street or another location.
Move the RV park — if/when the city buildings move, shift the RV park a block north to access on 9th or 8th and provide additional green space along the creek
Add mileage markers along the trail — and subtly (whose idea was it for the brash LED signs on Washington at 8th) provide information about local sites that may not be on the trail to encourage people to visit downtown businesses.
Take down at least some of the fencing around Lion’s park — or provide some sort of adjustable/movable fencing for game days
Keep the tennis courts and basketball courts.
Library — having a centrally located library in the community is a plus. At some point the library had plans to expand when the old pool was taken out (now the site of the parking lot and farmers’ market) — work with the county to accommodate some multiple functions here with a less harsh environment — a turf of some sort, mixed grass and medians to continue to accommodate parking for events but also the farmers’ market — at least in the short term.
Parfet Park — my family and I have always enjoyed this great expanse of green. Perhaps additional tables around the perimeter/along Washington
Connection to Vanover Park — work with Golden Mills to construct a cantilevered pedestrian walkway on the north side of the river — but do not take remove this landmark!
Vanover Park — allow off-leash for dogs.
I have so enjoyed this corridor over the years, and my children enjoy biking and walking into town on the tucker gulch and clear creek trails. Please, if nothing else, don’t spoil the small-town feel with big “destination” type facilities that change the reason and desire of many to come to Golden in the first place. We have a natural gem that allows creative play, fishing, kayaking, and opportunities to enhance the beauty of the place without flash.
Thank you.
Isn’t clear creek itself a water feature? Why waste a lot of money on adding a water feature when really it already exist. If anything spend the money and enhance the already existing pond to make it nicer (add some landscaping, a beach, some play areas) instead of engineering some synthetic water thing to look at. The playground is great for kids, I know because we use it all the time. The rec center is great for kids who want to play in the water. Adding a water feature just doesn’t seem like Golden to me.
Why isn’t the current “Master Plan” shown here? The one that shows 10th Street closed at Maple Street, the pond at Lions Park filled in and made into a parking lot, the one that shows all the 50 plus year old trees in Lions Park being ripped out and replaced with newer smaller trees! Now that the city has successfully destroyed all the 200 year old trees in the city, they seem to want any tree over 10 feet tall removed! It also appears that Golden has been having a clear case of Paved Paradise Syndrome over the last 18 years! This was such a nice little town!… Why aren’t the citizens of Golden allowed a say in what happens to their neigborhood?
As a long time Golden resident living in the 9th St Historic District, we enjoy the Clear Creek corridor, Lion’s park, the community center, and the associated ‘energy’ around the corridor. Clear creek is a wonderful resource that many residents and non-residents enjoy. However, I believe that the proposed development plan for the corridor has serious flaws.
Specifically, I feel that it fails to satisfy the following stated goals of the master plan:
“Optimal vehicular circulation” The proposed plan makes all of the parking along either side of the main thoroughfare, resulting in very congested traffic flow as cars try to park, un-park and gear / kids are loaded and unloaded from cars. Additionally, this parking arrangement results in fully 50% of the parking spots being on the opposite side of the road as the creek and playground, requiring people, kids and gear to cross the busy road.
“Reduce user conflicts” I do not see how the proposed plan reduces conflicts between use groups, specifically water users vs. bikers vs. walkers with dogs etc. I believe that reducing conflict will require dedicated use paths (north side vs. south side, etc) and greater disbursement of parking and vehicular access so that everyone isn’t concentrated in one area.
Additionally, I feel that the plan fails the community and city in several ways that aren’t stated goals of the project (but should be):
The plan should try to maximize corridor visitors patronization of downtown businesses. This keeps our local businesses strong and successful and creates a strong tax stream for the city. The proposed plan specifically fails this goal as it concentrates all parking away from the downtown businesses. Concerted effort should be made to incorporate more parking near downtown (at the site of the pioneer museum?) and downstream from the Lion’s park area. Dispersing parking in to several different zones will help reduce conflict (one of the stated goals). Possibly incentivize visitors to park near downtown with free parking downtown and metered / pay parking around Lion’s park.
The plan should try to provide the safest experience possible for small children enjoying the playground and any proposed water feature. Moving the playground closer to the creek is very concerning for child safety. I believe that it would be much safer to leave the playground and water feature to the north of 10th street (which should continue to connect through and not terminate at Maple st) and slow traffic along 10th with stop signs, curves in the road, speed humps, etc and possibly an elevated pedestrian crossover.
The proposed plan fails to consider the impact on local historic neighborhoods. Closing 10th at Maple and re-routing all traffic from the more commercial 10th thoroughfare through the surrounding neighborhoods doesn’t make sense. It would make much more sense to keep 10th street open as a through road, bowing the road to the north in to the filled-in pond location to slow traffic and to accommodate additional parking in an enlarged lot where the current ball-field lot is at 10th and Maple. Angled parking should not be added along this section of 10th due to already stated concerns and conflicts.
If the Clear Creek Corridor project is for the benefit of Golden residents then don’t try to ‘cram’ everything in to one location. Rather, spread some of the resources around the town of Golden for all residents to use and enjoy. For example, rather than trying to ‘cram’ tennis courts and a skate park in the creek corridor, locate tennis or skate park in the corridor and the other Arean Gulch Park to the north of highway 58 or Beverly Heights Park at the base of Lookout. Dispersing the park resources around Golden will help reduce user conflicts far more that the proposed corridor plan.
Hi, Last week when it was warm I walked from city hall to the library and was reminded that the strip of land with large cottonwood trees on the north side of the history museum parking lot is really nice! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone sitting and enjoying the shade there, but a table or bench there might attract picnicking families, or some library patrons looking for a nice place to sit outside.
thanks!