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May 30, 2014 Douglas County, Colorado | Volume 12, Issue 30 A publication of
parkerchronicle.net
Castlewood Canyon turns 50 Volunteer group wants to buy land as birthday gift By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com Finding the perfect gift for a dear friend who’s turning 50 can prove difficult, but that’s not the case for one group. The kind-hearted caretakers known as the Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park knew just how to mark the milestone: expansion. The volunteer group has its eye on a 15-acre parcel of land adjacent to the park upon which sits the Kleinert homestead, a ranch built in 1887 along the banks of the lake that burst
through the canyon’s dam nearly five decades later. The Friends of Castlewood Canyon have committed to raising $25,000 toward the purchase and are busy organizing a number of events to raise money for the “birthday gift,” said Ron Claussen, president of the group. The events include a 10K trail run in September and a “yoga in the park” series that starts in June. The Friends raised $6,000 in the first month of the fundraising campaign. It needs another $19,000 for the Kleinert property. While Castlewood Canyon officially became a state park in 1964, its history began three years earlier when a man purported to be the grandson of “The Unsinkable” Molly Brown donated 87 acres to the state. From there, the park has grown piece by piece to just over 2,200 acres through donations
Ron Claussen, president of the Friends of Castlewood Canyon, points out the crumbling remnants of the dam, which broke in 1933, flooding Denver and all points in between. Photo by Chris Michlewicz and discounted acquisitions. The park is located south of Franktown on State Highway 83 in
Douglas County. Claussen enthusiastically talks about the unique topography, var-
ied flora and story-telling geological formations that define Castlewood Canyon, sprinkling in the occasional legend (it is said that bigfoot has been spotted in those parts). He readily admits that historical gaps are often filled with educated conjecture by the 50-plus volunteers who help out at the park. For Claussen and the other helpers, there is a magnetic attraction to Castlewood Canyon. He began his stint at the park in 2001 as an interpreter for Great Outdoors Colorado, and even moved to Douglas County to be closer to the canyon. After retiring in 2011, he couldn’t stay away. “I work more now for Castlewood than when I was being Canyon continues on Page 24
Water district ‘Fourteeners’ sells land for ready for $1.7 million new heights Acreage near Sterling The Class of 2014 turns the tassels.
Chaparral High School’s graduation started out with overcast skies, but the sun was shining bright by the end. Dillon Inglee kicked off the commencement ceremony May 21 at Sports Authority Stadium with a spirited, pitch-perfect rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” The speeches were capped off by a thought-provoking poem by Jessica Buchenau, who reminisced on the triumphs and difficulties faced by the Class of 2014, or the “fourteeners,” as they call themselves. The smiles of the graduates beamed brightly from the stage as they accepted their diplomas and took the next step into the future.
PHOTOS BY CHRIS MICHLEWICZ
Brandon Malone, left, and Roland Martin, right, celebrate during the Chaparral High commencement.
Savannah Pyles celebrates after her name is called at Chaparral High School’s commencement ceremony May 21.
Tyler Whelan triumphantly raises his diploma to his parents, who cheered wildly in the crowd, as the Class of 2014 leaves the field.
was divided, auctioned By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com The Parker Water and Sanitation District is unloading assets it has deemed unusable, and the latest sales netted $1.7 million. The district sold 1,088 acres of “dry pastureland” land near the northeastern Colorado city of Sterling earlier this month, said Ron Redd, district manager. PWSD still owns 3,000 acres of irrigated farmland that’s leased to Logan County farmers and brings $200,000 in revenue annually. The land was purchased between 2001 and 2008, and the portions that were sold off were identified in a feasibility study as an asset the district could do without. The property was subdivided into 10 parcels and auctioned off, Redd said. PWSD needed to buy water on the Eastern Plains “to mitigate for environmental issues,” but it also acquired the rights to the irrigation water as a last resort for Parker Water for the future, he said. “As a backup plan, they decided to buy more farms because the water’s a lot cheaper out there,” Redd said, referring to his predecessors. “If they got into trouble and couldn’t find it closer, they could pipe it here.” The 1,088 acres sold May 1 “wasn’t meeting our needs,” Redd said. If the district decides to eventually use the water rights for the 3,000 acres for municipal use, it would yield 4,000 to 5,000 acre-feet of water per year. PWSD board chairwoman Darcy Beard said the sale of the pastureland is part of the district’s long-term plan to “streamline operations, increase staff efficiency and maximize the assets of the district to reduce costs to our customers.” The $1.7 Water continues on Page 24
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