February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 27

do experienced the Alexander Mountain Fire. Several
days after the start of the human-caused fire, a call
came in during the early morning hours that the flames
had reached the ridgeline of the park. Our planning
and management efforts would now be tested.
When we took our posts at the Larimer County
emergency operations center the next morning, we received
news that Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park survived.
Through the night, the fire on the ridgeline began
to move slowly downhill into the canyon and the
park. Thankfully, the winds slowed and there were few
forward embers, but the progression into the park performed
exactly as the design intended. In fact, the park
served as a firebreak on its southern boundary, and the
fire did not continue any farther south. It became a
stronghold for firefighters who were grateful the park
played such a large role in containing the spread.
The next day, the Alexander Mountain Fire remained
active, and roadblocks prevented travel in the canyon,
but the threat on its southern boundary was contained.
To get a better understanding of the scope of damage,
we coordinated a police escort for the parks and recreation
team and city management. We arrived at the park
and were stunned by what we saw. The progression of
the fire was evident and remarkable. With minimal fuel
available, the fire extinguished itself as it came down
the hillside. All park assets were untouched, including
a historic cabin, a Civilian Conservation Corps shelter,
an outdoor classroom and a sculpture. Any areas left
unaffected on the park's hillside were backburned to
prevent any additional threat if the winds shifted.
We will celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the
park in 2026. The Alexander Mountain Fire was another
chapter of the park's historic legacy, a success
story of persistence and commitment to environmental
resiliency.
Author's Note: Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park was rebuilt
using a FEMA Flood Recovery Public Assistance Grant and
a Community Development Block Grant through the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development's Disaster
Recovery Program. To watch City of Loveland's documentary
on the Big Thompson Flood, visit tinyurl.com/4xyuhf8y.
SEE ALSO: " From Flood Mitigation to Fun, " Sophie
Spaid, Parks & Recreation, October 2024, Vol. 59, Iss. 10,
tinyurl.com/27xrknsh; " Parks on the Urban Edge, " Casey
Case, Parks & Recreation, December 2024, Vol. 59, Iss. 12,
tinyurl.com/mpbvc56k.
PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G | FEBR U AR Y 2 0 2 5 | Parks & Recreation
27
Park visitors take in the western view of Thompson Canyon
from Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park.
Kara Kish, MPA, CPRE, is Director at City of Loveland
(Colorado) Parks and Recreation Department (kara.kish@
cityofloveland.org). Dan Willadsen, CPRP, is Parks Manager at
City of Loveland Parks and Recreation Department (dan.
willadsen@cityofloveland.org).
Earn your
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PHOTO COURTESY OF KARA KISH
http://www.uwlax.edu/recms http://tinyurl.com/4xyuhf8y http://tinyurl.com/27xrknsh http://tinyurl.com/mpbvc56k

February 2025 – Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2025 – Parks & Recreation

February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Intro
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover1
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover2
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 1
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 2
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 3
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 4
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 5
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 6
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 7
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 8
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 9
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 10
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 11
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 12
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 13
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February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 15
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 16
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 17
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 18
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 19
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 20
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 21
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 22
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 23
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 24
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 25
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 26
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 27
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 28
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 29
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 30
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 31
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 32
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 33
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 34
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 35
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 36
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 37
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 38
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February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 40
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 41
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 42
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 43
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 44
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 45
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 46
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 47
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 48
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 49
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 50
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 51
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 52
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 53
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 54
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 55
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - 56
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover3
February 2025 – Parks & Recreation - Cover4
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2025
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2024
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2023
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2022
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2021
https://ezine.nrpa.org/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2021
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