Be Wild

by John Litz

In the summer of 2015, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), solicited proposals for a grant program designed to get low-income children and families more involved in the outdoors. The program consisted of two phases:

1) grants up to $100,000 for planning during 2015 and 2016

2) and grants in 2016 for implementing from a $5 million pool.

Jeffco Open Space was made aware of the program early in 2015 and gathered a group of 31 agencies to assist in developing the grant application. The proposal criteria were not available until June, but that did not keep the agencies from regular meetings and developing ideas for the proposal. The proposal was submitted in mid-August and awards were made in October. Jeffco received a planning grant of $75,000.

The objective of the “Be Wild Jeffco” proposal is to increase access to and availability of outdoor programs to residents along the Eastern Corridor of Jeffco—essentially Sheridan to Wadsworth and north of Hampden, plus a node going west of Wadsworth between 6th and 26th avenues. Arvada already has a program in place serving the southeast corner of the city and Lakewood had a program this summer focused on the area surrounding Mountair Park (14th and Depew).

The 31 agencies, ranging from the city park departments to the Forest Service and Denver Zoo, will be working on developing a detailed proposal to present to GOCO in August 2016. The proposal then will serve as basis of GOCO making an implementation grant.