Hughes XC Park – Update

We are reaching out again to ask that you complete another short city survey pertaining to the former Hughes Stadium property. The survey will conclude this Friday, February 24th so please act as soon as possible.

The Fort Collins Running Club Board of Directors and its partners are advocating for a low impact use of the Hughes property by creating a multi-use (running, hiking, biking and cross country skiing) course. We believe this achieves the best of what the ballot measure asked for when it was passed in April 2021: …”use said property for parks, recreation, and open lands, natural areas, and wildlife rescue and restoration.” We believe that a purpose built Cross Country course will serve the community well and attract seasonal events that can help stimulate the local economy all while maintaining an open and natural area. For example, High School and NCAA cross country running events and practices, local races, etc. The course would be open to hiking, running, biking and in the winter, cross country skiing. Such a course can help tie the Maxwell and Pineridge natural areas together.

Here are our recommendations for the survey:

#1. Level 5 activity. According to the city definition, a XC course, bike park, etc is considered higher impact. We hope that in future discussions we can re-classify this designation but for the sake of this survey, we’ll need to put a level 5.

#2. Our top 5 picks are: Designed cross country course, Trail connections and trail improvements, Seasonal Nordic skiing, Bike park/infrastructure, Parking lot lmprovements

#3. Recommended message: “A mixed use designed cross country course can be relatively low impact while maintaining an open and natural area. Seasonal events such as high school and NCAA cross country races, nordic skiing and biking events can stimulate the local economy while still keeping the property open and natural. The community will be able to hike, run, bike, ski and enjoy the natural beauty. There is overlap to be found in many of these choices and we hope to work together to find common use. Thank you.”

If you have any questions, please let us know.

With the recent voter passage of an ordinance mandating the rezoning of the Hughes property as public open lands, as well as the finalization of the sale of the land, the city of Fort Collins has created a survey to gather inputs on the future use of the property. Click here to find this survey.

In keeping with our mission statement to promote the healthful benefits, both physical and mental, that running can provide, the FCRC Board of Directors has shared a vision for the property with the city as outlined below. If you are in support of this vision, we encourage you to complete the survey. Feel free to reference the language below.

Thank you! The FCRC Board of Directors.

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Based on the 2021 ballot language, how would you prioritize the following uses?

1) Recreation

2) Parks

3) Open Lands

4) Natural Areas

5) Wildlife Rescue and Restoration

6) Other

How would you like to see the space used?

A multi-use natural area park that contains a purpose built Cross Country running course that can be used for running/biking/hiking/skiing. It would also include a bike park and expand the current disc golf course. The park can link to Maxwell Open Space and other surrounding trail systems. Said trail system can be used for timed races and other revenue generating events. Schools, clubs and other organizations from around the region would be able to host practices and events at the property. Similar venues exist around the nation – for example: Huntsville Alabama: https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/environment/parks-recreation/recreation/sports-complexes/cross-country-course/ . The Hughes course should still align with natural/local flora (not a golf course grass type), as well as provide adequate parking to accommodate events along with a mass transit center to allow for easy bus access to the venue. The proposed course/trail system is more than a single track trail running through a natural area – it is specifically meant to accommodate events with measured distances and built in features with areas for spectators. Pocket parks can be found throughout the site with amenities like benches, play grounds, shelters, ponds etc. A simple vision of the property can be found on the Fort Collins Running Club site at https://fortcollinsrunningclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/XCCourse.png.

Who else should be engaged in this process?

Fort Collins Running Club, FC Natural Areas, FC Parks and Rec, YGR, Overland Mountain Bike Association, Bike Fort Collins, Wolfpack Cycling, Disc Golf Clubs

Hughes XC Park – Update

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