A Growing Need
As our community grows, new parks and extended trail miles outpace the city’s funding to maintain our existing and aging parks.
The City’s parks and trails define the Fort Collins lifestyle. Residents enjoy over 966 acres of developed parks, including: 7 community parks and 43 neighborhood/pocket parks, and over 45 miles of paved trails connecting the community. The City of Fort Collins’ park system also includes the urban tree canopy, cemeteries, medians, golf courses, ballfields, and other public community spaces.
If the funding gap to maintain these amenities continues to grow, our parks will continue to deteriorate escalating the ultimate cost.
The city budget allows for replacement of two of the city’s 50+ playgrounds annually. This puts the city on-track for a 25-year refresh cycle which seldom aligns with the lifespan of equipment.
In a few cases, equipment must be removed because funding doesn’t exist to replace it. This diminishes equitable access to recreation in our community.
Older parks have long-outdated irrigation systems. Line replacement, realignment, and modern hardware improves efficiency to bring these systems up to sustainable standards.
Address costs associated with repair or replacing park installations and play equipment at the end of their lifecycles. This includes features that no longer meet safety, environmental, or ADA standards
Promote sustainable operations in Fort Collins parks, natural resource protection, and long-term up-keep of the trail system
Inspire community members to collectively invest in the vitality of our city while instilling a sense of stewardship in future generations
FoCo Parks Forever Fund Will:
“We’re so lucky in this community to have what we have, but I just want to see us maintain it and take it into the future.”
-Mike Calhoon, Fort Collins Parks Department Director