and have come together in the decision that the Van Bibber Park west trailhead parking lot, unpaved and susceptible to frequent flooding, is due for some much-needed renovations.
On Jan. 24 a community open house was hosted by Jeffco Open Space to discuss with the public the initial design concept and to welcome feedback and suggestions in regards to the upcoming improvements.
The new design will move the parking lot, off Indiana Street and 56th Avenue in Arvada, roughly 100 yards to the south according to Jeffco Open Space community connections manager Matt Robbins. The new asphalt parking lot will feature a trailhead connecting to the already paved section of trail in. The trail is 4.8 miles long, a mile and a half of which is paved.
“The parking will now be hard surface so visitors don’t have to be concerned about tracking mud in and out of their vehicles, and whether they are going to hike, or bike, or push strollers, there will be a hard and smooth surface for folks to access that trail and enjoy the outdoors,” Robbins said.
The new lot will also include access to the Strippgen property, which is owned by the Prospect district. The Strippgen property, 18 acres of historic agricultural land, is still in the conceptual design phase, according to project details on the .
There are plans to incorporate new amenities including picnic facilities, benches, kiosks and portable restrooms near by. The overall goal of the project is to enhance visitor experience, but a major catalyst for the proposal was to negate flooding of the lot, said Robbins.
“The primary thing we hope our visitors will notice in having a hard surface and relocating the trail is that during a major storm event — rain, runoff, or snowmelt — that the parking lot will not be flooded,” he said.
The community open house drew in about 60 attendees who asked questions that included, are there future plans for a Van Bibber trail expansion to the west? Who will patrol the new lot? And will horse trailers be permitted in the lot? A list of frequently asked questions from the meeting and their answers can be found at .
According to the timeline proposed by Jeffco Open Space, the next step in the process will be a community update this spring in which a final design, construction schedule and budget will be provided. The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Robbins said.
When the new lot arrives, the old west trailhead parking lot will be revegetated by Jeffco Open Space.
Details for this project and other Jeffco Open Space projects are at or by calling 303-271-5925. Prospect Recreation and Park District can be reached at 303-424-2346.