To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Jeff Brauer, Director of Parks and Recreation
Title
Update: Gateway Mesa Trail Addition Minor Element Naming Request
Body
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Executive Summary
As outlined in Resolution No. 2013-56, A Resolution Adopting an Amended Town of Castle Rock Facility Naming Policy (Attachment A), companies or individuals wishing to contribute funding to a project or facility may request naming rights if the donation makes a significant impact to the capital construction or long-term operation of the facility.
Section 1.9.2 of the Resolution further establishes the process of naming rights related to minor elements. Any company or individuals wishing to have naming rights to a minor element of a facility (such as, but not limited to a meeting room, ball field or any element of a facility that is distinguishable) shall complete a Minor Element Naming Rights application. The application will be submitted to the Town Clerk and reviewed by the appropriate board or commission, in this case the Parks and Recreation Commission, using the guidelines set forth by the Naming Committee. Such recognition shall be approved by the appropriate department director and Town Manager and/or designee.
An anonymous donor has contributed $10,000 to the Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation (the Foundation) for the purpose of funding a 2-mile soft-surface trail addition at Gateway Mesa Open Space; a project map can be viewed in Attachment B. The Foundation is seeking additional donations to financially assist with as much of the project as possible.
The project will be constructed with volunteer labor through a partnership with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC). The first phase of development, which will complete approximately two-thirds of the trail, is anticipated to cost approximately $10,000. This phase will be completed in October 2019.
Given the nature of the resolution and the significant contribution for the minor element within an existing facility, the anonymous donor and the Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation is respectfully requesting naming rights to the trail addition.
The donor and the Foundation would like to have the future trail named Legacy Trail.
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
On May 15, 2019, the Parks and Recreation Commission approved to name the future trail addition Legacy Trail.
Discussion
The Town’s facility naming policy states the, “goal in selecting names for Town facilities shall be primarily to advance fostering a sense of community and small town character. This includes names which heighten the awareness of Town history, celebrate the natural environment and call attention to points of pride in our community, to people, events and geography that have shaped the Town, create our sense of place and make our community unique. It is recognized that there will be instances in which names regarding a special tribute, a memorial, a geographic feature may be appropriate.”
The Foundation and donor believe the name Legacy Trail would represent the legacy left by the donor to the future generations of Castle Rock; the name would furthermore signify the Foundation’s mission of enhancing community parks, open spaces and trails, the action of which provides a legacy for future residents and exemplifies the importance of investing in the community for the good of the public at large.
Gateway Mesa is a 275-acre open space property situated just south of Highway 86 and east of Founders Village. Hikers who enjoy the 1.6 miles of existing native-surface trail often take advantage of the property's connection to the Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail.
Staff now envision adding a unique, 2-mile native-surface loop through dense forest on the property’s northern section. An additional .5-mile spur trail would connect the future loop to a small, proposed trailhead, which may also provide a future connection to Hidden Mesa Open Space.
To offset project costs, staff applied to VOC and was awarded with assistance with trail construction. VOC is dedicated to motivating and enabling everyday people to become active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. Each year, this nonprofit organization collaborates with conservation and land agencies to connect volunteers with outdoor stewardship projects. VOC will offer experience, knowledge, technical assistance, tools and volunteer crew leaders and workers to construct the trail in a turnkey fashion.
Three volunteer workdays will be held in 2019. The June 1 workday will be held in conjunction with a National Trails Day event, the second will be a women’s only workday on Aug. 24 and the final workday is scheduled for Oct. 5. Staff anticipate VOC will complete most of the trail addition’s western portion. Phase 2 final development will likely be completed in 2020.
Staff Recommendation
Due to the significance of the contribution, staff recommends naming the minor facility element, i.e. the trail addition, Legacy Trail as approved by the Parks and Recreation Commission consistent with the process set forth in the Town’s naming policy.
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution Adopting an Amended Town of Castle Rock Facility Naming Policy
Attachment B: Project Map