More ways to enjoy the outdoors coming

It’s felt like a long winter in Castle Rock, but signs of spring are starting to appear. When the weather nally allows our residents to get outside regularly, they’ll nd that the Parks and Recreation Department did not take a winter nap. Several projects wrapping up in 2023 will allow residents to take advantage of new recreational opportunities throughout town.

e rst phase of improvements to the town’s newest open space property, Metzler Family Open Space, is nearing completion. e 60-acre property was donated to the town in 2021 by the estate of Robert F. Metzler. Last year, the town constructed four miles of native-surface, single-track trails on the property and straightened the homestead’s historic silo. Now, work is underway to make it easier for residents to explore the property. A trailhead

Letters To The Editor

Fight woke ideology

I was very disappointed in the defeat of the bill that would require athletes to only compete with those who had same sex at birth. Douglas County Rep. Bob Marshall called the bill a solution looking for a problem. Who voted for him? Here is a representative that implies proactive action is not necessary since no case in Colorado could be cited. I know if I’m an employer I’m all in for someone who doesn’t see the value of proactively addressing issues — not. is country is being run by a woke ideology that makes the United States the butt of many international jokes. at is especially evident whenever we witness the “Reader in Chief” bumble through his written statements.

No longer is it necessary to check boxes such as knowledge, skills and abilities, but other boxes to meet some condition to appease the woke mob. We the taxpayers are the victims. e most recent glaring example is “Mayor Pete” and the incompetency he has shown with the rail strike, supply chain bottlenecks with cargo ships, and the most recent derailment in Ohio. But he did check an important box for the woke mob. I don’t care if he checked that box, but please be able to do your job, which he has not demonstrated.

He would say “no” if the request wasn’t supported with the “why.” Or Frank would say “no” if the person asking didn’t really understand everything involved in what they were asking for.

What Frank taught me and I hope to pass along to you is this: Before saying “no,” take the time to ask more questions and get as much detail as possible before making your decision. And before you ask for anything, know the “why” behind your request, and what it is you are really asking the other

Guest Column

Bob Gardner

parking lot is under construction o East Allen Street, and signs to help visitors navigate the property — including trailhead maps and intersection way nders — are in production and will be installed by the completion of the project in May.

Butter eld Crossing Park has been well loved for over 30 years and by summer will be ready to welcome a new generation of visitors to its recently updated facilities. Work on this park kicked o last May and the basketball court and six pickleball courts are already complete, and an accessible, year-round restroom was added. Public feedback identi ed the need for an inclusive playground in our community, and this location is an ideal place for one. e groundwork has already been laid for the e most wide-reaching of our new opportunities will come this fall, with the completion of the Castle Rock portion of the Colorado Front Range Trail, which will connect to locations throughout town and the Front Range. Work began last October in the Terrain neighborhood, and crews have been constructing three new segments. In Cobblestone Ranch and Terrain, McMurdo Gulch Trail is being extended northeast to connect to the Cherry Creek Regional Trail and south to meet Hangman’s Gulch Trail, while in Montaine, work is extending the East Plum Creek Trail south to Lowell Ranch. A $2 million grant awarded by the Great Outdoors ColoradoGOCO Connect Initiative, funded by Colorado Lottery proceeds, will be provided to the town at completion. e town is proud to work with our community to enhance the quality of life and well-being of our residents by acquiring and developing parks and trails and preserving open space to meet Castle Rock’s needs. Learn more at CRgov.com/ParksAndRec. e schools are not doing a good job, so many major cities have students progressing through the system without the ability to read or do math at pro cient levels. I truly believe that education should be privatized and if you want to attend a school promoting woke, and trans male athletes competing against girls, have at it.

Possibilities Playground, where visitors of all ages and abilities will be able to play, be challenged and have fun together. Community fundraising e orts by the Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation have been instrumental in making this fully inclusive playground a reality, and donors have given over $1 million of support. With warmer weather comes the installation of playground features like roller table slides, mini ziplines and a sensory wall. Watch for a grand reopening celebration to be held in June.

I am so glad Vivek Ramaswamy is running for president. Not because I think he is the best of the eld, but because he promises to bring a light to woke idiocy.

John Salanitro Highlands Ranch

Housing needs attention

I commend you on your in-depth look at the housing crisis with your series, “ e Long Way Home.” Your reporting shined a big light on the complexity of the situation: local government land use policies; citizen opposition; inequities of all kinds; economics and more.

As a board member of Littleton’s public housing authority, South Metro Housing Options, I know rsthand the challenges providing housing for people of all incomes, ages and abilities. High costs and lack of land are tremendous obstacles. We are fortunate that elected leaders, nonpro ts, housing au- person or team to do for you. Are you saying “no” simply out of habit? Is the “no” monster hurting your relationships at home or at work? Do you understand the concept of including your “why” behind your request? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@ gmail.com, and when we can take the time to know before we say “no,” it really will be a better than good life. thorities and housing advocates are joining forces to work on increasing the housing supply. As you highlight, it took us several years to get in this mess; it will take a long time to get out of it.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

Patricia Cronenberger Littleton