The final bit of the Centennial Link Trail is almost complete, part of a plan to connect hikers, bikers, walkers and runners to more than 100 miles of local and regional trails in the south metro area.
Carl Dubler, who lives in Centennial and runs the website denver , uses the new trail for biking and jogging and said it adds to the trails and recreation amenities the city already has.
“What makes the Link trail stand out is it connects a lot of the major trials together so you don’t have to connect by the street to get to the High Line Canal Trail,” Dubler said. “The goal is to connect a lot of these great trails and assets we have in Centennial.”
The parks district agrees.
“The city of Centennial really wanted to be able to connect neighborhoods to parks and schools from east to west, and it’s an important connection because it really does do that,” said Brett Collins, director of planning and development for South Suburban Parks and Recreation District.
Collins said he’s heard from neighbors that they use the trail a lot more than they thought they would.
“We’ve had a lot of positive comments,” Collins said. He added that the trail is used extensively by families and parents taking their kids to and from nearby Lois Lenski Elementary School at 6350 S. Fairfax Way.
Dubler praised South Suburban for plans to build two bridges over Little Dry Creek. The trail frequently became flooded after rain or snow, making crossing the trail dangerous.
“That was an improvement I was pushing for years with Centennial on its open space advisory board,” Dubler said. “I think it’s a good representation of the partnership between Centennial, South Suburban” and the Southeast Metro Water Supply Authority.
The $2.4 million project is expected to wrap up next month and will connect residents to the Little Dry Creek, Willow Creek, Platte River/Mary Carter Greenway, Littleton Community, Lee Gulch, C-470, High Line Canal and Chatfield trails. Phase 1 connected the former Little Dry Creek Trail, now being re-branded as the Centennial Link Trail, to the High Line Canal trail at DeKoevend Park. The trail extends 3 miles to the Holly Open Space Park.
Centennial pitched in $1 million for the project and South Suburban secured $700,600 in Arapahoe County Open Space grant money.
Centennial Councilwoman Stephanie Piko, who used to be liaison to the city’s open space advisory board and pushed for the Centennial Link Trail, echoed Dubler’s statements that the project was an ideal partnership with South Suburban, as Centennial doesn’t have a parks and recreation department of its own.
“It shows that if you take the time to set out a plan for what you want as a goal, the two groups can find a way to make it happen,” she said. “It benefits the people not only who live along the trail but those who are using it to connect to our city.”
