Bond Funds: Where have they gone?

In 1998 the Jefferson County voters approved the issuance of $160 million in bonds to accelerate the acquisition of open space lands. In total the lands acquired by purchase total 16,236 acres and the lands acquired by easement total 3,448 acres. The total amount spent through the end of 2008 is $148,029,304. Following is a review of what has been accomplished with the bond funds during the past ten years.

Westminster:

Addition of 23.4 acres to City park, addition of 58 acres to the lands surrounding Standley lake, acquisition of 1491 acres of recreation rights on Standley Lake, addition of 16.5 acres to the Westminster Hills Open Space, and acquisition of 20 acres along 92nd East of Wadsworth.

Arvada and Apex (North Jeffco):

Acquisition of 482 acres along Leyden Creek, acquisition of 8 acres adjacent to Tucker Lake, addition of 114 acres to Long Lake Ranch, acquisition of 15 acres in the Hills at Standley Lake, 11 acres adjacent to Pioneer Park, 26 acres between the Farmers and Croke Canals West of Kipling, addition of 6 acres to Majestic View Park, and the acquisition of 40 acres of the Moore Farm at 72nd and Ward Road.

Wheat Ridge:

Acquisition of 212 acres in the Clear Creek Greenbelt, 3 acres near 44th and Lamar, 5 acres at 37th and Jay, and 8 acres at 35th and Kipling.

Edgewater:

Acquisition of 4 acres of the King Soopers property at 22nd and Chase and the church at 25th and Chase.

Golden:

Grampas Park at 44th and Salvia, 49 acres on the Southwest slope of North Table Mountain, 15 Acres on the West slope of South Table Mountain, and 0.2 acres for the Clear Creek Trail corridor.

Pleasant View:

41 acres for the park at Camp George West.

Lakewood:

3.6 acres along Colfax at Dover adjacent to the Whitlock Rec Center, 1.3 acres at addition to Mountair Park, 3.2 acres for Two Creeks Park east of Wadsworth at 10th Ave, 7 acres addition to Sunset Park 10th and Kipling, 5.2 acres addition to Belmar Park, 12-acre addition to O’Kane Park, 3 R-1 cottage schools, 14 acres adjacent to the White Fence Farm on Jewell, 3 acre addition to the Bear Creek Greenbelt, a 0.5 acres park at the City Commons, 49 acres (part of the Homestead Golf Course), and 17 acres at Ohio and Chase.

Morrison:

Right of way easements for the Bear Creek Trail.

Foothills Rec District:

135 acres of the Fehringer Ranch, 11 acre acquisition at Temple and Marlowe, 9 acres adjacent to Weaver Creek Park, 9 acres along Elmhurst between Wadsworth and Pierce, 12 acres adjacent to the Lilley Gulch Trail at Wadsworth, 40 “sledding hill” at Kipling and Ken Caryl, 8 acres at Garrison and Ute, and shares in the Harriman Ditch Company.

North Backdrop and Mountains:

83 acres along Hwy 72 west of Plainview Road, 1516 acres along south side of Hwy 72 west of Hwy 93, 378 acres along Hwy 72 west of the railroad overpass, 60 acre conservation easement at the entrance to Coal Creek Canyon, and a 70-acre easement about 3 miles up the canyon.

North Central Backdrop and Mountains:

266-acre acquisition and 619-acre easement on the north side of Ralston Creek, 443 acres straddling or on south side of Ralston Creek, and 71 acres of backdrop across Hwy 93 from North Table Mountain.

North Table Mountain:

Acquisition of 1,252 acres of North Table Mountain plus 440 acres in a land exchange.

South Table Mountain:

Acquisition of 762 acres plus easements of 659 acres of easements.

Central Backdrop and Mountains:

571 acres on slopes of Mt Tom, 417 acres of conservation easements along Crawford Gulch, 4,406 acres along Clear Creek including Centennial Cone Park, 487-acre in additions to Centennial Cone Park, and 76-acre backdrop below Mt Galbraith.

South Central Backdrop and Mountains:

4 acres of Mt Glennon, 1955 acres backdrop at South Valley and Hildebrand Ranch, 1-acre addition to Deer Creek park, 117-acre addition to Mt Falcon Park, and additions of 787 to Alderfer-Three Sisters Park.

South and West Mountains:

Additions of 188 acres to Meyer ranch Park plus a 10-acre easement, 301 acres of Flying J Ranch Park, 445 acre acquisition of Beaver Ranch Park, 410-acre addition to Reynolds Ranch Park, and 120 acres adjacent to the Cathedral Spires Natural Area plus a 120-acre conservation easement.

About $12 million was left at the end of 2008.