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Las Animas County Outdoor Recreation and Economic Impact Study


SEPTEMBER 2023 PROJECT UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who provided input into this Study. To view the final results, click here.

JUNE 2023 PROJECT UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who has provided input into the Outdoor Recreation and Economic Impact Study to-date. We have received a lot of community input, and the project team is working on a draft Study, which is anticipated to be released in Summer 2023

If you weren't able to make it to the May 10, 2023 Community Open House in Trinidad, you can find the meeting presentation materials here. Check back soon for more information on the draft Study!

OCTOBER 2022 PROJECT UPDATE

As of this fall, the project team has wrapped up the Visioning and Synthesizing phases of this study. Over the coming weeks, the focus will turn to the Evaluating and Prioritizing phases. Below, please explore the results of the first two phases of this project including: a summary of public engagement and resulting Themes and Strategies, as well as the data from the Online Survey.

Click here to review the Summary of Visioning & Synthesizing Phases slides.

Click here to review the Survey Results.

The project team received 128 responses to the open-ended question (Q12) of the online survey. As part of the analysis process, these comments were reviewed and coded to identify key themes to guide the team in establishing next steps. The project team appreciates the engagement and community perspectives but understands that many respondents were sharing their thoughts in confidence to the project team. In order to respect the respondents, the project team will not be sharing all answers to this question publicly. Instead, we have selected a handful of representative quotes from the responses, which can be found here.

Stay tuned for updates on the refined recreation strategies coming in early 2023!

 

WHAT ARE WE UP TO?

We need your help shaping the future of Las Animas County’s outdoor recreation economy. With the addition of Fisher’s Peak State Park, the county is on course to become a premier destination for visitors across the state and country. What recreation improvements around the county would complement the park? What other opportunities are missing or could be enhanced? Which strategies offer the most economic benefit for the community? 

We also need your help prioritizing the most important recreation projects and figuring out how best to implement them. This study will result in countywide consensus on a prioritized and phased plan of action for improvements to outdoor recreation opportunities, programs, trails, parks, and facilities that will drive economic development in Las Animas County.

 

PARTNERS



 

 

PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 2021, Las Animas County, alongside the City of Trinidad, Trust for Public Land (TPL), and the Nature Conservancy (TNC) received a grant from the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) to complete a recreation and economic development study for Las Animas County. The goal of this project is to create an impact study and recreation plan to guide the City and County and give them a better understanding of community and infrastructure impacts, needs and opportunities associated with existing recreation areas. 

 

DRAFT PROJECT GOALS

This project will take an inclusive, community-based approach to identifying and prioritizing future outdoor recreation opportunities, programs, trails, parks, and facilities to drive economic development in Las Animas County. 

The following goals have been drafted with initial public input and will evolve with your help. 

  • Gather as many community interests and perspectives as possible
  • Develop shared community vision for outdoor recreation in Las Animas County
  • Evaluate feasibility and economic benefit of priority projects
  • Build regional partnerships to support implementation and management of shared priority projects

 

PROJECT PHASES AND TIMELINE

The information below depicts a draft project timeline through four project phases: (1) Visioning, (2) Synthesizing; (3) Evaluating; and (4) Prioritizing. The project team will engage the community during key milestones to gather ideas, identify priorities, and reflect back input.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

The project is just beginning, so you’re here at the right time. For now, find the team at one of these upcoming events, and check back later to find more information on a community survey and other ways to weigh in.

If you would like to join the mailing list, please fill out this form. With any comments or questions, please email Cara Potter, project consultant, at cpotter@mediate.org.

 

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