The Evergreen Park & Recreation District built the Lake House in 1992 with funding from savings and with grants from the Colorado Lottery and Open Space. In so doing, EPRD raised the bar for public improvements for us citizens.
Over the next two decades, citizens showed their approval by voting YES to help preserve land in Noble Meadow and purchase all the land at Buchanan Park. EPRD built a new Rec Center there and bought the land at Stagecoach Park. They built ballfields throughout the community.
Over time EPRD made improvements to Wulf Rec Center and built the giant turf field at Marshdale. They built playgrounds, gardens and trails for the benefit of all of us. The list is long.
In 2018 EPRD put forward a bond question to ask for more funding for maintenance and capital projects. That Bond was narrowly defeated and the funding was denied.
And now EPRD is asking once more. This request in 2023 in significantly smaller than in 2018. It is a request for an extension of the mil levy voters approved in 2005, rather than a bond question to issue new debt. It will fund taking care of what we have, improvements to existing facilities, and then new facilities and programs.
The tax impact to households would be less than $90 per year for a $750,000. home. The equivalent of a nice dinner out (but only for two).
Our recreation facilities are aging, either from constant use or the ravages of nature. EPRD needs funds to fix them. Our parks and trails need improving by bringing them up to standards that meet current regulations and the high expectations of our citizens.
Our community is asking for more capital improvements in both outdoor and indoor recreation. EPRD is listening and plans to respond in the affirmative.
EPRD board and staff share a vision with their constituents for the future of Evergreen recreation, which they would like to fulfill. Everyone will benefit. This will take time. But the time is now for what must be fixed today and in the immediate future.
A vote yes on 6C would help EPRD right away, allow it to make steady, planned improvements in the near future, and eventually provide funding for larger capital projects.
Peter Eggers, Evergreen
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