In early summer, a draft of the Denver Mountain Parks Master Plan will be posted on the website at DenverMountainParks.org for public review and comment. Check back here for further updates.
Conversations of civic leaders from the turn of the 19th-20th century led to a vision and, in 1914, a plan for Denver's mountain parks. Changes of the last 90 years—in funding mechanisms, recreational uses, urban growth, new open space systems, and access—call for a new look at the Denver Mountain Parks. How are they used and valued by Denver residents? How can they best serve Denver residents as a recreational, cultural, and natural resource? How can Denver residents and newer partners fund this legacy for its survival into the future? This Master Plan will chart the way for the Denver Mountain Parks for their centennial and beyond.
The Master Plan has two primary sections. The first provides historical background and research on the economic, environmental, and recreational benefits of the mountain parks to Denver citizens, to the City as a whole, and to the region. These chapters identify the gaps between perception and reality; the political and funding realities; and the communication/marketing problems the Mountain Parks system faces as it approaches its second century. The second part of the Master Plan will set out a plan of action for the next ten years and specific recommendations for the system as a whole as well as individual parks and parcels.
