Site work and paving for a mixed-use development in Durango, Colorado. Conceptual plans call for site work for a playground / park / athletic field; sidewalk / parking lot; and for paving for a sidewalk / parking lot.

Update: Durango Mesa (disc golf and dog park) Project is included in City of Durango Fiscal Year 2026-2030 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/la-plata-county-commissioners-accept-fairgrounds-master-plan/ La Plata County commissioners accept fairgrounds master plan La Plata County commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to accept an ambitious master plan for upgrades at the county fairgrounds. The document, released last month, outlines $27 million worth of phased upgrades to the 23.4-acre site that hosts the annual La Plata County Fair, as well as a range of agricultural events and other gatherings. By accepting the plan, commissioners are not committing to any particular timeline, but will have a list of capital projects to work on moving forward. Several members of the equestrian community showed up to warn commissioners that the site was inadequate and that a larger location, not just upgrades to the existing one, is necessary. They implored commissioners to reconsider a now-foregone opportunity to move the fairgrounds to the Durango Mesa Park. The Board of County Commissioners declined that option in 2023, citing a price tag of at least $80 million. Pam Petrie, producer of the True Western Roundup, said that option was “brought to light and then snuffed out.” Now, she told commissioners she is supportive of the proposed renovations – but wants to ensure they are enacted. The master plan outlines projects as minor as removing obstacles in the parking lots and adding new trailer parking stalls to the addition of a $12.3 million exhibit hall renovation that would combine the extension building on a second floor. The La Plata County Fairgrounds Master Plan recommends demolishing the extension building and remodeling the exhibit hall to include a second story where the extension building’s current users could go. The $12.3 million project is unlikely to happen anytime in the immediate future, Fairgrounds General Manager Emily Spencer said. (Courtesy of La Plata County) Funding for the upgrades comes from the Colorado Lottery Conservation Trust Fund, an allocation of about $400,000 annually from the state. The plan notes that other grants or private partnerships could also help fund the upgrades. By phasing in the plan, county officials can pick and choose fairgrounds capital projects each year based on the availability of funding. That is a better approach, commissioners said in comments made before the vote, given the high price tag that a fairgrounds at Durango Mesa Park carried and the county’s budgetary constraints. Officials have mused about a mill levy increase to fund the road and bridge department, which has an annual capital projects backlog of about $10 million. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/city-of-durango-mesa-park-foundation-enter-operations-agreement/ City of Durango, Mesa Park Foundation enter operations agreement Connector trails, parking lots and infrastructure work slated for 2025 By Christian Burney Herald Staff Writer Tuesday, Dec 10, 2024 2:45 PM Updated Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 9:28 AM Durango city councilors and staff members visited Durango Mesa Park in August 2023 to check out progress on six new mountain biking trails that have since been completed. More trail work is slated for 2025 in addition to parking and road construction as the park development marches onward. (Courtesy of city of Durango) Durango City Council has affirmed the city’s commitment to developing and maintaining Durango Mesa Park, a proposed world-class bike park, trail system and events space, through a long-term planning, development, maintenance and operations agreement. The agreement defines the city’s and the foundation’s commitments and responsibilities regarding development, management and oversight, and eventual ownership of the park. In short, the city and the foundation agreed to work together in pursuit of construction permits, to develop an operations plan and to eventually lease or transfer ownership of park features, such as the proposed bike park, to the city, and what entity has oversight of what responsibilities before and after that transfer, according to the agreement. The agreement also stipulates for a management committee with representatives of the city and the foundation serving on it. The committee will be responsible for coordinating and planning events and operations, reviewing development plans and organizing a budget for maintenance and emergencies. It will have the authority to close trails for special events such as bike races, according to a description of the committee. Durango Mesa Park Foundation Project and Program Manager Hogan Koesis said the long-term agreement epitomizes the city’s and the foundation’s partnership, which has been and will be vital for Durango Mesa Park’s long-term success. L38839 Wells-Sept, 300x250 He said the park’s success relies on programming and sustainability addressed in the long-term agreement. Durango High School’s cross-country teams held their home meet at Durango Mesa Park earlier this year, marking the first trail running event at the park, according to the Durango Mesa Park Foundation. Pictured, Lacy Ruggiero of Durango High School with the girls cross-country team finishes her race on Aug. 31 at the park. (Jerry McBride/Durango Herald) Durango Mesa Park hosted nearly 8,000 visitors in 2024 for a variety of activities, such as demonstration bike trails, school athletic events and even a music concert. Koesis said the foundation is taking “the full gamut” of trail experiences among all users into consideration as it continues to develop the park. That means next year, trails restricted to hiking, biking and mixed-use trails will be opening, he said. “We’re going to build everything for everyone,” he told City Council on Dec. 3. Earlier this year when Koesis was hired by the foundation, he said in a news release Durango Mesa Park’s bike park will be designed to convert non-cyclists to the hobby and the trail system being planned will connect bikers, hikers, runners and equestrians to nature. He said last week the Durango Mesa Park project has the potential to “balance Western heritage with modern day park infrastructure.” Development of the park was abundant this year. Notably, the city completed its 1,928-acre annexation of the park, an emergency egress road was finished and the Meadow Hub, a centralized zone connecting to bike trails and other future park amenities, was finalized in the spring. “It really sets the tone for the gathering spaces that will be in the park,” Moira Compton, Durango Mesa Park Foundation executive director, told City Council. She said the park hosted its first large-scale concert featuring Michael Franti & Spearhead, a hip-hop band that borrows from rock, funk, reggae and jazz, in the spring. A Durango Mesa Park bike park area master plan depicts a series of bike trails and park amenities planned to be built at Durango Mesa, formerly Ewing Mesa. Connection trails leading from a centralized zone called the Meadow Hub to the future bike park on the mesa are planned to be built in 2025. Construction began in November and is expected to be completed in 2026. (Screenshot) According to the foundation, the park also hosted Durango High School’s Aug. 31 home meet, which marked the park’s first trail running event. On Sept. 1, it hosted the Second Annual Durango Derby, which featured solo, two- and four-person teams on over 31 miles of singletrack racing. The next weekend, it hosted Fort Lewis College’s Cycling Squawker mountain bike and slalom races. And on Oct. 19, the park hosted FLC Cycling’s Durango Mesa cyclocross race. Next year, heavy construction will establish a connector trail between the Meadow Hub and future bike park trails. Construction got underway in November and is expected to be completed in 2026, according to a news release from the Durango Mesa Park Foundation. The foundation is preparing for road base construction next year for parking lots, grading, trails and other infrastructure, and construction details are also being fine-tuned for a proposed BMX track. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/durango-mesa-park-foundation-brings-on-new-program-management-director/ Hogan Koesis, an experienced trail developer and park manager, has had his hands in trail projects in the greater Durango area, New Mexico and Texas. Now, he's setting his sights on Durango Mesa Park. The Durango Mesa Park Foundation announced this week it has hired Hogan Koesis to lead development of Durango Mesa Park, including its much-anticipated bike park as the new director of program management. "Durango Mesa Park has the potential to make a big impact on this amazing town and for future generations," he said in a news release from the Durango Mesa Park Foundation. "This project aligns perfectly with the best place to live in the nation, making it an easy choice for me and my family." Koesis said the bike park is designed to turn non-cyclists into cyclists and the planned trail network will connect bikers, hikers, runners and equestrians to nature. "We're excited to get back to the mountains, in particular Durango, because from our perspective, it's the best place in the world to live, work and play," he said. "Durango Mesa Park is going to make it even better and return Durango to its status of mountain bike capital of the world." Durango Mesa Park Foundation Executive Director Moira Montrose Compton said Koesis' expertise and passion will contribute to turning Durango Mesa Park into a "world-class destination for outdoor enthusiasts." She said the next two years of infrastructure and park amenities construction will lead to the next chapter in the park's development. Previously, Koesis worked with Durango Trails in 2018 to build the Three Springs beginner single-track trail system. He worked with Purgatory Ski Resort to secure equipment donations for the project, according to the foundation. Koesis also represented Purgatory at a panel "that developed the Hermosa Creek Watershed Management Plan, incorporating nonmotorized trails in the San Juan National Forest for e-bikes" and designed and approved new mountain bike trails in Purgatory's master development plan. Koesis was a liaison between construction and parkgoers in Bentonville, Arkansas, and managed projects on over 150 miles of new trails in northwest Arkansas and Centennial Park. He also helped promote and develop amenities in Angel Fire Bike Park, New Mexico, and Spider Mountain, Texas, the foundation said. "Hogan Koesis has a proven track record in creating and enhancing recreational spaces, making a significant impact on the communities he has served, including the Durango community," the release says. "Prior to joining Durango Mesa Park Foundation, Koesis played pivotal roles in various projects across the nation, contributing to the growth and success of mountain biking destinations." __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ UPDATE : https://www.durangogov.org/DocumentCenter/View/27283/2024-City-Manager--Proposed-BudgetbidId= This is a three-year initial phase that started in 2022 to design and construct an approximately 80-acre bike park on Ewing Mesa. Project in 2022/23 began with the development of a contract with the DMP Foundation to develop concept designs and projected costs for needed infrastructure for the entire park build-out and to fund the design of a bike park, including a BMX track. Several key trail connections to the Horse Gulch Open Space Area are to be completed by Durango Mesa Park in 2023. Annexation of the entire Durango Mesa Park into the City of Durango is anticipated to be completed in 2023. In 2024, with designs in place, it is anticipated that construction on the Ewing Mesa Road, Bike Park, Disc Golf Course and Dog Park will start and be substantially completed by end of year. In 2022 and 2023, $2,259,006 were appropriated for the project and will need to be re-appropriated to 2024. In 2024, $2,045,000 of new funds to the project and are needed for construction. Project is in City of Durango - FY 2023-2028 CIP 313 ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Continued planning and initial Infrastructure phases of Durango Mesa Park in partnership with the Durango Mesa Foundation. This is a three-year initial phase to design and construct an approximately 800 acre bike park on Ewing Mesa. Project in 2022 is to include planning and design, natural surface trail connectors to Highway 3 and Horse Gulch, re-establishment of water well/storage tank/pump, initial landscape and irrigation, and electric connections. Future years will include build out of other infrastructure and bike park amenities. Durango Mesa Foundation is financially participating in this project as an overall partner. Amount requested in 2022 for this project is $1,260,000 which includes a 5% allocation to CIP Division. As of February 25, 2022, this project is in the early planning phase. An engineer has not been selected. A firm timeline for construction has not been determined. This project is included in the City of Durango's FY 2022-2026. *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.