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6-27-24 Villager

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VOLUME 42 • NUMBER 31 • JUNE 27, 2024

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Denver Water completes the transfer of 45 miles of the High Line Canal to Arapahoe County

Among the 28 people representing local jurisdictions and partners of the High Line Canal at the ceremony turning over two-thirds of it to Arapahoe County were Alan Salazar, CEO, Denver Water, Arapahoe County Commissioners Carrie Warren-Gully, Jeff Baker, Leslie Summey, and Bill Holen; HLC Conservancy CEO Harriet LaMair, board president Paula Herzmark, and board members Jim Lochhead and Steve Coffin; South Suburban Parks & Rec Commissioner Pam Eller, Cherry Hills Village City Council Member Earl Hoellen, Littleton City Council Member Gretchen Rydin, Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas, and Denver City Council Member Diana Romero Campbell. Greenwood Village was represented by Suzanne Moore, PE, its parks, trails, and recreation director. Photos by Freda Miklin BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER

It has been a long time since the High Line Canal (HLC), acquired by Denver Water 100 years ago, substantially functioned as an irrigation utility. Denver Water began to enter into agreements with local municipalities to maintain and safeguard the HLC and its trail as a recreation asset 54 years ago. June 20, 2024 marked the culmination of a years-long process of hard work and collaboration that resulted in Denver Water transferring ownership of 54 miles of the HLC to Arapahoe County.

The 54-mile spans includes the entire reach of the HLC that is located in Arapahoe County and the majority of the Canal in Denver and Adams Counties. Arapahoe County will hold the title to the property, which was transferred at no cost. The cost of general maintenance of the property located in Arapahoe County will be funded by the one-quarter of one percent dedicated Arapahoe County Open Space sales tax, although cities, including Greenwood Village and Cherry Hills Village, will continue to maintain the portions of the HLC in their jurisdictions, as they have for years. Denver and Adams County will pay the cost of maintaining the portions of

the HLC that run through their jurisdictions via intergovernmental agreements with Arapahoe County. What is perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle that ensures the long-term vision for the HLC remains true is the conservation easement (CE) that Denver Water placed on the 54 miles before transferring the property to Arapahoe County. The CE was deeded to the High Line Canal Conservancy (Conservancy). It “creates a vested interest in real property exclusively for the purpose of conserving and forever maintaining the Canal’s Conservation Values defined in the CE.” Those Conservation Values are: • Ensure that the Proper-

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Carrie Warren-Gully, Chair, Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners

ty will be perpetually maintained as a linear open space park with a multi-purpose public recreational trail and canal;

Maintain public access and recreational use of the Property;

Continued on page 7


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