April 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 15

Residents in southeast Colorado Springs can now enjoy a universally accessible and
inclusive playground for all ages and abilities that also includes multiple public art
installations.
for Public Land (TPL), a national
nonprofit organization that works
with communities to protect public
land and provide equitable access
to outdoor opportunities, led the
community engagement process.
RISE
|
Southeast
Colorado
Springs also became a key partner
and worked alongside TPL in
the renovation of Panorama Park.
RISE, an initiative developed and
led by " resilient, inspired, strong
and engaged " residents in the southeast
region of Colorado Springs,
enhances the community through
resident-led change. Funded by a
grant through El Paso County Public
Health, RISE works to connect
people to resources within the city
to provide opportunities for all to
thrive. RISE and TPL, in partnership
with the City of Colorado
Springs, hosted multiple community
engagement meetings with students,
older adults, family members
and neighbors to brainstorm ideas
for the park. Initial ideas included
a new playground, accessible walking
paths, increased lighting for improved
safety, more trees to combat
the urban heat island effect, and a
public gathering space. The next
step was to secure funding to bring
the community's vision to life.
Eight-and-a-half million dollars
would be needed for the transformation
of Panorama Park, and
thanks
to a variety of funding
sources, including many private
and nonprofit partners, Panorama
Park became the largest neighborhood
park renovation in city history.
The City of Colorado Springs
invested $5.5 million, including $4
million from Park Land Dedication
Ordinance funds; $1 million
from its Trails, Open Space and
Parks sales tax that collects one
penny out of every $10 spent; and
$500,000 from Taxpayer Bill of
Rights (TABOR) retention funds
approved by voters in 2019. The remainder
of the project was funded
by other partners, including AARP
Colorado, Colorado Health Foundation,
Colorado Springs Health
Foundation, El Pomar Foundation,
Gazette Charities/The Anschutz
Foundation, Great Outdoors Colorado,
Lyda Hill Philanthropies,
National Endowment for the Arts,
The North Face, Pikes Peak Community
Foundation and TPL.
" The renovation of Panorama
Park would not have been possible
without the generous support
we received from private and nonprofit
partners and the passion of
southeast community members, "
says Colorado Springs Mayor John
Suthers.
" Collaboration
paved
the way for southeast Colorado
Springs to have a world-class destination
park that will be enjoyed by
generations to come here in Olympic
City USA. "
The Results
Now, residents in southeast Colorado
Springs can enjoy a universally
accessible and inclusive playground
for all ages and abilities.
Panorama Park also boasts a bike
skill development park with three
separate courses to accommodate
riders of all skill levels, a youth area
with a hammock garden and skate
space adjacent to a youth-designed
climbing boulder, two basketball
courts, an all-age fitness zone from
AARP, a multiuse sports field, a
state-of-the-art
splash
pad,
and
multiple public art installations.
One of the art features is a mosaic
tile mural comprised of more than
7,000
designed tiles
individual communitythat
celebrate the
diversity and unity of the southeast.
A community-driven sculpture
created by Colorado-based artist
Joshua Wiener will be unveiled
near the park's entry plaza in 2023.
" The Panorama Park transformation
is a case study example of
what can happen when a community's
vision for how it wants to
connect to the outdoors is heard,
respected and brought to life, "
says Jim Petterson, TPL Mountain
West Region vice president. " Trust
for Public Land is honored to have
worked with the southeast community
and proud to have partnered
with the City of Colorado Springs
to create a park that will be a cherished
gathering place for families
and a resounding source of neighborhood
pride. Panorama Park sets
a high bar for future communitydriven
park design and construction
projects across the state and
around the country. "
General William J. Palmer had a
clear vision when he founded Colorado
Springs in 1871. His dream
was to build a city that would attract
people from around the world
to experience its natural beauty
and outdoor recreation opportunities
in a safe, healthy and inclusive
environment.
Colorado Springs
community members embrace the
challenge to continue Palmer's legacy
to build a city that matches its
scenery - a shining city at the foot
of a great mountain.
Cassie Melvin is a Public Communications
Specialist at the City of Colorado Springs
(cassie.melvin2@coloradosprings.gov).
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | APRIL 2 0 2 3
| Parks & Recreation
15
April 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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