Parker Chronicle 0123

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January 23, 2015 VOLU M E 1 3 | I SS UE 1 2

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New horse park owners plan outreach Partnership wants to get rid of ‘elitism,’ involve more families By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com Community involvement will be a driving force in the planned rejuvenation of the Colorado Horse Park. Colorado Equestrian Partners, an investment group comprising five families, finalized its purchase of the equestrian show venue south of Parker and is already prioritizing upgrades to the facility. The purchase price was not disclosed; the facility was put on the market for $11.5 million in 2009.

Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, members of the Colorado Equestrian Partners investment group that purchased the Colorado Horse Park Jan. 12. Courtesy photo

The partnership took the reins Jan. 12 and plans to be ready with a full schedule of events in the spring and summer. Colorado Equestrian Partners is putting a focus on deeper public participation and looking outside of equestrian circles for new fans, said Mark Bellissimo, an investor in the group. “Our model is very community-centric,” he said. “We want to work with schools and local charities and try hard to make sure we take the edge off of the elitism that exists in equestrian sports — make it more fun and familyoriented than other venues and facilities.” Colorado Equestrian Partners also owns Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Fla., and Tryon International Horses continues on Page 10

Continuation of Call-n-Ride made official Staff Report

Brad Yoder, owner of Biker Brad’s at South Parker Road and Pine Lane, helps regular customer Ray Doudna, of Parker, on Jan. 15. BELOW: Motorcycle jacket patches hang on the walls at Biker Brad’s. Photos by Chris Michlewicz

Shop caters to county’s biker population Biker Brad’s along popular road for motorcycle riders By Chris Michlewicz

cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com What better place to be than along a welltraveled route that leads to the scenic highways and byways prized by motorcycle riders? On bright and sunny weekends, thousands of motorcycles roar down South Parker Road, a primary conduit to Franktown and Colorado Springs, where the roads are open and winds whip more freely. An ever-growing number of riders are finding a stop along the way that suits their lifestyle needs: Biker Brad’s. It was just over a year ago when Brad Yoder, of Aurora, filled his shop with leather accessories and jacket patches and “man cave art” and introduced himself to the tight-knit biker community. Situated on the northwest corner of South Parker Road and Pine Lane, kitty-corner from a Harley-Davidson dealership, Biker Brad’s is the first such store in Parker to cater Shop continues on Page 10

Motorcycle jacket patches hang on the walls at Biker Brad’s.

The Parker Call-n-Ride service will continue operating in 2015 thanks to the collaborative partnership between the Town of Parker, Douglas County and the Regional Transportation District. Originally scheduled for elimination on Jan. 1, RTD removed the Call-n-Ride from the list of proposed discontinued routes after the county and town stepped in to cover financial shortfalls. As a result of its annual service review, RTD had originally recommended that the Call-n-Ride services for Parker and Highlands Ranch be discontinued due to low ridership. Public meetings were held in both communities and were well attended by citizens opposed to losing the service. Some of the Parker Town Councilmembers attended to listen to public comments and to gain a better understanding of how service cuts could negatively impact residents who are dependent upon the service. Call-n-Ride is a personalized curbto-curb bus service that travels within a limited RTD service area inside Parker. The service started in 2007. Ridership numbers are measured in hourly boardings and must meet a performance threshold in order to maintain the service. Parker’s ridership has been hovering around two boardings per hour, and users are mostly made up of seniors and teens. Since RTD preserved the Parker service, staff from the town, county and RTD have worked together to explore improvements to the Call-n-Ride service model and created a transit advisory committee. The committee has been formed with representatives from each of the entities and includes citizen stakeholders to advise on how to better meet the unique service needs of the Parker community. The TAC will continue meeting in 2015, making recommendations and monitoring the implementation and results of any service changes. The Parker Call-n-Ride service is available by calling 303-301-5772 for a reservation at least two hours in advance, Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on where the Parker Call-n-Ride service is available and other public transportation in Parker, go to www.ParkerOnline.org/PublicTransportation.


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