Article Contributed on: 12/9/2006 9:18:07 AM
In a few days we will have anelection to trade 21.6 of 162.8 acres of Iron Spring/Forsberg Park in order to create an open space buffer/corridor.
While we all have a right to our own opinion on the matter, there is only one set of FACTS.
FACT: Lakewood Citizen's for Open Space, a private open space advocacy group supports the trade (as a vehicle to create an open space/wildlife connection between Green Mtn, Coyote Gulch and Bear Creek Lake Parks). As the president of this organization said in his article last week, this endorsement came after many trips to the site and after extensive review of the interests involved.
Ask yourself this: Do you really think a citizen's open space advocacy group would be on the side of a city/builder conspiracy to give away park land? Yet, that is how the opposition characterizes the issue.
FACT: This was not the builders idea.The exchange was proposed in 1997 after 3 years of study by the Rooney ValleyTask Force. Lakewood adopted the plan in 1998. The builder bought the land in 2005. The city had the land appraised. That appraisal is a 35 page thorough assessment of the land's value. The city approached the builder with the trade because it is good for the people of Lakewood. City Council and Lakewood Planning Commission both unanimously voted for the trade.
FACT: Well worn paths exist in the land we would acquire. That is where people hike, bike, walk their dogs and ride horses. That is where many kids learn to mountain bike, cross country ski and where many kids run and bike in and around the gulch on the West end of the site. (a gulch, by the way, that is a very small part of the land the builder would trade to us).
FACT: Despite claims to the contrary, wildlife regularly use this land. My 12 yr old daughter took a picture of a deer there right after Rita Bertoli claimed no deer could go there without breaking a leg.
But don't believe me. Please read the article in this Thursday's Sentinel. It is several pages long and includes a map. One error in the article though is the acreage of the conjoined Iron Spring Forsberg Parks. The article says that land total is 140 acrea. The actual figure, from the City of Lakewood "Parks Inventory Base" is 162.8. So, the trade is for just under 14% of park for a vital, much used connection between our two largest city parks Green Mtn and Bear Ck. That land will become houses unless we vote YES/FOR the exchange.
Also, you can go to voteforopenspace.org to review some facts and to see a map of the area. Go to the opposition website: Lakewoodvoter.com (I think) Look at the photos and descriptions posted there. Then, go to our website or, better yet, walk the land yourself. Then ask: Who is telling you the truth.
Please get as much information as you can before you vote. I hope you do vote. I am confident that an informed vote is a YES vote.
Happy Holidays. Your neighbor, Hal