Tired of fighting other hikers for parking and campers for campsite space? Sick of the nauseating conditions of park restrooms?
Relief is on its way.
Colorado is no doubt the most spectacular state in the Union. From our desert bluffs to our snow-capped peaks, people come from around the world to soak up our amazing sites and experience their unique beauty. But with added visitors and increasing climate challenges, our state parks have been taking a beating. And that problem has ballooned by a decade-long cut in funding.
In the past, the legislature invested over $5 million annually from the General Fund in our state parks system, but that appropriation was zeroed-out in 2012. Now, after years of restricted resources, our state parks are in desperate need of some attention.
Every year more than 15 million people visit our public lands, bringing in just over a billion dollars to our state. This is incredibly valuable for our economy and our job market — with over 7,000 people employed by state parks.
Yet alongside the inflow of dollars, tourism brings some difficult challenges as well. Mountain trails are clogging up, backcountry roads and highways are jammed with traffic, trash piles up on the shores of our alpine lakes. And in the process, what we love most about our cherished open space, runs the risk of being lost.
But it isn’t just the land thatap bearing the burden. Mountain communities explode in summer months and locals see wear and tear to their roads, excess trash, and overwhelming crowds.
With all of the added use in our state parks, itap clear we need more space for Coloradans and tourists alike. Thatap why I am proud to be sponsoring Senate Bill 3, legislation that aims to reinvigorate our state park system, as well as create a new state park for Coloradans to enjoy.
Senate Bill 3, which passed the Senate Friday, would allow the state to grant a one-time infusion of $6 million from the General Fund to make important capacity improvements across our state parks system, including contributing to maintenance, operational costs, upgraded trails, bathrooms, parking, and visitor facilities. The specific projects undertaken regarding improvements would be up to the Department of Parks and Wildlife, while a little more than half of the fund would be dedicated to officially establishing Fisher’s Peak and the land surrounding it, as Colorado’s newest state park!
As a 6th generation native of southern Colorado, I grew up in awe of Fisher’s Peak. Its iconic basalt stone towers over acres of natural forest and houses hundreds of wild animals including bears, cougars, and elk. For me and for many Southern Coloradans, Fisher’s Peak encapsulates all we adore about our beautiful state. But for years, this special place was off-limits to the public –– largely positioned on a private ranch.
However, when the land came up for sale, a group of tenacious locals and conservation groups came together in a one-of-a-kind partnership to purchase the space required to create Colorado’s second-largest state park.
With an open date as early as the fall of 2020, Fisher’s Peak Park would be home to the tallest point east of I-25 at 9,633 feet and extend over 55 square miles. It will also be the first park to be created since 2013.
This bill will not only address the capacity issues we have in the state park system but also work to preserve the land we love from overuse. It will increase economic opportunity in Southern Colorado which hasn’t seen the same benefit of tourism dollars as other parts of our state. And it will allow locals to finally soak up the beauty in their own backyard.
Access to the outdoors is critically important, especially in a time of climate instability and increased tourism. We must work to preserve our treasured open spaces so we can ensure that our public lands are protected for generations to come.
Leroy Garcia is the Senate president and represents Senate District 3 in Pueblo County.
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