The Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) board announced $117,151,438 in investments for partner-led conservation, recreation, and outdoor access efforts statewide.

Base program awards will support 16 community-driven projects through the Planning and Capacity, Community Impact, and Land Acquisition programs. Investments will be put to work to hire essential staff at several organizations; establish the first-ever, Colorado-based, Native-led, nonprofit land trust; build and enhance parks and recreation facilities; conserve critical land, water, and wildlife, and more.

In addition, the board approved CPW’s $30,015,330 fiscal year 24-25 investment proposal that will support Colorado’s 42 state parks, hundreds of state wildlife areas, and abundant wildlife habitat from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025.

Planning and Capacity Program

GOCO’s Planning and Capacity program invests in projects that address opportunities, explore issues, engage communities, and examine trends in the outdoors

Recreation Master Plan, $155,000 to the City of Lamar

Funding will help the City of Lamar develop a multi-year recreation master plan informed and guided by the local community. The City has completed its previous recreation master plan and is ready for the next iteration to continue and further recreation development. The City will hire a planning consultant to conduct activities and events in the next 14-24 months to gather input from its diverse community members. Data captured during this time will guide the plan that will provide recreation programming and implementation recommendations for the next 5-10 years. The City and its consultant will partner with paid college and high school student interns and youth-serving organizations and host multiple gatherings for further community participation in the process.

Community Impact Program

GOCO’s Community Impact program develops and revitalizes parks, trails, school yards, fairgrounds, environmental education facilities, and other outdoor projects that enhance a community’s quality of life and access to the outdoors. Projects include:

Cheraw Community Complex, $883,700 to the Town of Cheraw

Funding will help the Town of Cheraw develop the Cheraw Community Complex over the next two years. The complex will create the town’s only park, providing multi-generational recreation opportunities and a central gathering space for the local community and those from the surrounding region. It will be located in the center of town and feature a pavilion, playground, walking paths, and a multipurpose field. The project is a critical piece of implementing Cheraw's comprehensive community development plan to enhance quality of life, increase access to outdoor recreation, and retain and attract residents. The community demonstrated incredible support for the community complex, submitting a letter with over 80 signatures pledging donations of time, volunteer hours, services, and more.

Land Acquisition Program

GOCO’s Land Acquisition program supports urban and rural landscape, waterway, and habitat protection priorities and improves access to the outdoors.

Las Animas-Purgatoire River Project, $650,000 to Southern Plains Land Trust

Funding will help Southern Plains Land Trust permanently protect a 458-acre property near the City of Las Animas with a conservation easement. Following the acquisition, the easement will be managed by the land trust Colorado Open Lands. Called the River Property, it includes one mile of prime riverfront along the regionally important Purgatoire River. The river and its forests provide habitat for birds, mammals, and other wildlife. The property also contains mature cottonwood riparian forests, high-quality wetlands, and a small black-tailed prairie dog colony. The wetlands are freshwater ponds that stay full throughout the year, which support native fish and other aquatic wildlife and represent a critical resource for both migratory and resident waterfowl and passerine birds. The property also includes agricultural resources, including hay fields irrigated with 20 shares of leased water.

GOCO’s Centennial Program invests in high-value, once-in-a-generation visions and projects that will create lasting impacts on the Centennial State and future generations

Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds & Crystal Lake Master Plan, $400,000 to the City of Rocky Ford

The Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds host the 145-year-old “oldest continuous fair in the State of Colorado” while also supporting community events, athletics, and youth organizations such as 4-H and Future Farmers of America. Adjacent to the fairgrounds, Crystal Lake offers opportunities for expanded recreation that could better serve the growing region. Funding will help the City of Rocky Ford continue its planning efforts to revitalize these two local amenities to support outdoor recreation and access. GOCO-funded visioning efforts launched in summer of 2022 produced a comprehensive concept for the revitalized properties. Through community engagement, partners identified an opportunity to partner with the City of Aurora to provide public access to nearly 5,000 acres of formerly agricultural land it owns stretching along the Arkansas River from Manzanola to Swink.