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City to host open houses on Central Park Drive reconstruction, Bear River Park plan next week

Scott Franz
The city of Steamboat Springs hopes to begin the re-construction of Central Park Drive, including a new roundabout at the primary entrance to Central Park Plaza shopping center, in April.
Courtesy photo

Community members in Steamboat Springs can fill their schedules next week with a pair of open houses to learn more about some impactful projects going on in the city.

On Wednesday night, Oxbow Design Collaborate and the National Park Service will present two conceptual plans for improvements at Bear River Park in west Steamboat.

The plans were created with input from community members who attended an open house last month or filled out an online survey.



At the open house, the more than 100 community members who attended were asked to indicate with playing cards their preference for additional amenities at the park.

Results show that a new fieldhouse was the most popular amenity, with 47 votes, followed closely by additional parking and an extension of the Yampa River Core Trail.



Bear River currently hosts skate and bike parks.

City officials will discuss the feasibility of proposed amenities at the mostly undeveloped park that borders the Yampa River.

It is anticipated the city will be able to fund improvements at the park in 2017.

On Thursday night, city officials and representatives from Connell Resources will talk about the reconstruction of Central Park Drive, scheduled to begin in April.

The contractor will be available to answer questions about construction timing and the impacts the work will have on one of the city’s busiest commercial centers.

In preparation for the project, the city has set up a website, steamboatsprings.net/centralparkdrive, to keep citizens updated on the work.

The project will add new bike lanes, dedicated pedestrian crossings and a roundabout where Central Park Drive runs between Mount Werner and Pine Grove roads.

The city has put a $100,000 bonus check on the table to motivate Connell Resources to finish the most impactful phases of the project by June 30.

City Council on Tuesday gave final approval to spend $1.629 million on the project this year.

To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210, email scottfranz@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @ScottFranz10


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