Latest news with #Lodgers
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Garden of the Gods completes crucial waterline project
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Tuesday, June 3, the Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services (PRCS) department marked the completion of an improvement project at Garden of the Gods Park that will provide crucial access to water for park safety. The Garden of the Gods waterline project recently wrapped up, after eight months of ongoing work. The project was made possible by collaborations between PRCS, the City of Colorado Springs Office of Accessibility, Colorado Springs Fire Department and Colorado Springs Utilities. The project involved the installation of 8,000 feet of new waterline and 9 fire hydrants to enhance park and fire safety, and improve emergency response capabilities by ensuring a readily available water source. Additional improvements were made to enhance accessibility, with the creation of a fully accessible parking lot and ADA compliant trails into the Central Garden. Approximately 3,200 feet of asphalt was replaced to provide accessible parking nearer to the Central Gardens. A more sustainable, accessible concrete trail into Central Garden was also created. A little over two months ago, a fire burned dangerously close to the park and nearby homes. Fire Marshal Kris Cooper said these improvements will provide greater access to critical water infrastructure that could save lives and property in the event of an emergency. 'Over 5 million visitors to the park every year, and with that comes a lot of human activity. And unfortunately sometimes that creates fires. Humans are our greatest cause of fire in our area,' said Colorado Springs Fire Marshal Kris Cooper. 'We do spend a lot of time in the park… and so this gives us great benefit with added access.' Funding for the waterline project came from Colorado Springs Utilities, the Office of Accessibility, the Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax (LART), Park Land Dedication Ordinance (PLDO), and the Garden of the Gods Foundation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Juneteenth Festival to be held at Citadel Mall
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — After a loss of funding put the annual Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival at risk, organizers have announced that the event is officially on, and with a new venue. Juneteenth is a national holiday that commemorates the official emancipation of enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and it has been celebrated in Colorado Springs for the past four years by OneBody Ent., a local non-profit that seeks to serve youth and adults by helping to prevent criminal offenses and re-offenses. According to organizers, the festival is the biggest multi-cultural event celebrated by all races, nationalities, and creeds. The event's funding comes from the Lodgers and Automobile Rental Tax (LART) fund. In 2024, the City collected about $10 million, but requests far outpaced that amount. As a result, the City had to slash funding from numerous city events. Through a community call to action, festival organizers raised thousands of dollars to offset the cuts. During that same call to action, businesses spoke up and expressed their desire to help–namely, the Citadel Mall. 'The Citadel Mall offered to host the 2025 Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival on their premises,' organizers said. 'Following conversations to ensure that festival expectations are met, we are proud to announce that the new location for the 2025 Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival is at the Citadel Mall.' The event will be held in the parking lot near the old Baby's R Us location on June 20-22. The new location will provide ample parking, entry to the mall, and easy access to public transportation. The free event will boast vendors, music, artists, a car show, health fair, fashion corner, and so much more. 'We look forward to all of your continued support as we make this move for the 2025 SCJF and can't wait to see all of you this year as we continue our tradition in our home Colorado Springs,' organizers said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
