trails

Garfield County supports LoVa Trail grant request

Up to $30,000 tied to GOCO, CPW matching grant approvals

PRESS RELEASE
October 12, 2017

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – Garfield County approved up to a $30,000 allocation to the town of New Castle from its Conservation Trust Fund toward the engineering of a proposed trail segment from South Canyon to Canyon Creek. Those funds are slated for 2018, and are dependent on the award of two state planning grants.

New Castle is preparing two planning grant applications toward the design of a segment of the Lower Valley (LoVa) Trail along Interstate 70. If awarded, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) would grant up to $75,000 and the Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Recreational Trails Program would supply as much as $45,000 toward the endeavor. The GOCO and CPW grants require matches of $18,750, and $13,500, respectively.

Jeanne Golay, speaking for the Lower Valley Trails Group, said the group is also seeking matching grant funding from the city of Glenwood Springs, the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority (RFTA), and the town of New Castle.

Garfield County Finance Director Theresa Wagenman told the board that the Conservation Trust has a fund balance of $95,000.

Commissioner Tom Jankovsky recommended that the group look at trails west of New Castle, where the terrain is not as constrictive and the cost of construction is less. He also noted that a trail west of New Castle would connect with Coal Ridge High School and provide a safe route for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“For what it costs to get through South Canyon, maybe we could do the entire trail from Parachute to New Castle,” he said.

The commissioners approved letters of support for the GOCO and CPW grant requests, and supported the matching grant request unanimously, 3-0. The matching grant approval is dependent on the GOCO and CPW grants being awarded.