For 14 years, kids set sail on Westminster’s Standley Lake through a program run by Community Sailing of Colorado. This summer those kids could be left high and dry.
The summer sailing program was set adrift when the city of Westminster denied the group permission to use Standley Lake.
“We’re still kind of mystified, really,” said Community Sailing’s interim executive director, Deb Gravelle, who hopes the city will reconsider.
The group says the city told them that it had changed its codes and would no longer allow any commerce at the lake, including commercial nonprofits such as Community Sailing.
Westminster’s assistant city manager, Steve Smithers, said in a message that he had few details, but the city has been working with Community Sailing for some time on issues involving the group’s operation.
Hundreds of children ages 8 to 17 from a variety of backgrounds have learned to ride the water each year at Standley Lake and Cherry Creek Reservoir. The Cherry Creek program will continue.
Community Sailing offers scholarships and sliding-scale fees for children who want to participate but can’t afford it, Gravelle said, and they host several sailing days for kids with special needs.
“We get kids from all walks of life,” Gravelle said.
The Standley Lake program offered both week-long learn-to-sail summer programs and drop-in opportunities for experienced young sailors.
Mark Pauly taught sailing on the lake for the past six seasons.
“It’s a huge loss for a lot of people,” Pauly said.
